Chaos at Rittenhouse
by AllInMyStories
Summary: This story will end up being a love story between two doctors. It's juicy and cute for all you hopeless romantics. Ch. 22 is up! Chaos At Rittenhouse is now finished! Tear
1. Patients From The Past

MarchingDot: Hey guys! I'm the marching dot of the Marching Hawks! I'm here to start the chappy! Special, I'm afraid has gotten blown away in Hurricane Isabel. She went to retrieve her cat, Mystic, from outside on Thursday night and a tree branch flew into her and took her away. We found her yesterday in the ditch by 7-11 with the sign on top of her. Just thought you should know. Special is a very 'special' person. She's a SpecialReader! Anywayz, She doesn't own any characters and we should really get this fic on the road. Goodnight to all!  
  
*****  
  
One month later. "Dr. Campbell, Mr. Travis will see you now." Andy followed the secretary's finger, which was pointing to Mr. Travis's office door. She walked in.  
  
"Dr. Campbell, I'm glad you could make it. Have a seat." Andy sat down and looked at him. "Dr. Campbell, here's the thing. I know that you just wanted a quiet divorce over mail. But the case has gotten to the level where we are going to have to take it to court. You're soon to be ex-husband will have to be there and so will you. And the children's custody will be one of the issues."  
  
"I see. Mr. Travis, I know for a fact that Les will not be pleased about this divorce and I know that he's not going to want to go to court. I've been married to this man for 25 years. I think I know him pretty good."  
  
"Well, Dr. Campbell, obviously you don't. Les is the one who demanded a court hearing." Andy was shocked. Her mind raced. Les wanted to go to court. He wanted to take time to come to Philly to settle this.  
  
"Mr. Travis, that isn't possible. I know him. Are you sure?"  
  
"Yes, I am." Andy paused for awhile to think things through.  
  
"Do I have a choice?" She asked  
  
"I'm afraid not Dr. Campbell." She paused again.  
  
"Ok. What do I have to do?"  
  
The court hearing would be in two weeks and that was all the time Andy needed to prepare for it. She was sick of Les. She wanted him out of her life for good. Of course, he would never be gone for good, because they had two children together but being divorced was good enough. She wanted to continue her relationship with Milo. They loved each other and she couldn't maintain that love if she was still married. She glowed just thinking about him. They had been dating for 5 months now. And it has taken that long for her divorce to finally pull through.  
  
Andy walked through the hospital hallways thinking about how the hearing would go. Would Les take it ok? Would he try to hurt her again? She was worried, but she wasn't that scared of him. Lu walked up.  
  
"Hey Andy."  
  
"Delgado, how nice to see you." She said sarcastically.  
  
"What's the matter with you?" Lu was offended.  
  
"Oh, sorry Delgado. Things were going so great until Les requested a court hearing."  
  
"Ouchies. I'm sorry."  
  
"It's not your fault." They were at Lanas desk now. She was watching General Hospital.  
  
"I can't believe you watch that Hawkins." Andy said.  
  
"What's wrong with it?" Andy just gave Lana a stare. Lu broke the silence.  
  
"So, Andy, how was your date with Milo the other night? You went to the movies right? And don't you guys ever learn your lesson the first time. Don't make out in the parking lot like nobody can see you. Because we can." Andy's mouth dropped. She was embarrassed.  
  
She whispered to Lu, " We weren't making out Delgado, we were simply kissing each other good night."  
  
"Your lips didn't move for several minutes Andy, you were making out." Andy rolled her eyes. "Well, even if we were, it's none of your business, or anybody else's for that matter." She looked at Lana.  
  
"Then don't do it in the parking lot." Andy didn't know how to respond, so she left for her office. Milo walked up.  
  
"Hey guys. Is she in her office?" Lana nodded and smiled. "Great." He knocked on Andy's door and walked inside. "Hi." He smiled. She smiled back, but didn't bother to get up just yet. Before he could say anything she did. "I'm really busy right now Milo. I wish I wasn't but I am." She didn't take her eyes off her papers.  
  
"I see that. I'll sit with you anyway, because I'm not." She smiled and shrugged. He was so sweet to her. He treated her like a goddess. Andy shifted to the couch and sat down Indian style with her shoes off and paper and pen in her lap. Milo sat down next to her and peered over her shoulder at what she was doing. She saw him and snatched the papers so they weren't in his sight anymore. "Doctor, patient confidentiality Milo."  
  
"Right." He sat back away from her. They sat in silence for awhile until he started to get bored. To keep himself entertained he started to kiss her neck. After a few minutes she pushed him away.  
  
"Milo, I'm to old for a hickey on my neck." She said while rubbing the red spot on her neck.  
  
"Well, If you too old for one here." He pointed to her neck. "Then are you too old for one here?" And he pointed to her thigh. She laughed at him. He was just so cute when he flirted. She couldn't take it anymore. The paperwork dropped to the floor and she rolled on top of him in a passionate kiss. When they broke she sat back up.  
  
"Ok. Time for you to go. I have more work to do. Lots of preparing to do for the divorce."  
  
"Wait, I thought it was over mail." Milo was confused.  
  
"No, not anymore. Les requested a court hearing. I couldn't get out of it." She frowned.  
  
"Are you scared to see him?" He asked.  
  
"Yeah, in a way. But I just want him gone so bad, I'll do anything to accomplish that."  
  
"You're so brave. I know I was terrified when I was going through mine. Thank god it's over." He smiled at her. "So, you want me to go?"  
  
"Don't get me wrong." She pecked his lips. "I want you to stay." Pecked again. "But you can't." Pecked yet again. "Because." And pecked again. "I have work to do." She kissed him one more time, except this one was longer. He didn't want to stop so he pulled her in closer. She didn't resist, she couldn't. They had been kissing passionately for about 10 minutes when somebody knocked on the door. Andy quickly straightened her outfit and hair to make her normal. Milo did the same and slid away from her a little to make them look innocent. The stranger walked in and as soon as they saw her face, they knew they were caught. Andy and Milo had forgotten to wipe their lips off. They were so embarrassed because the strange woman who was back in the clinic was in fact Jacky the woman who had set them up to begin with. Jacky stared at Milo and Andy in amazement. They stood quickly.  
  
"I knew it. I knew it!" She said still shocked and pointing at the site of Andy's lipstick on Milos's mouth. She started to laugh, still staring at them. Andy was speechless so she just looked at Milo. They exchanged looks for awhile then Milo went to Jacky and he hugged her.  
  
"How are you doing? And what are you doing back here?"  
  
"I'm good. I just needed to talk to Dr. Campbell about some personal business." She was still laughing at them. Andy put her face in her hands and shook her head. "Well." Milo started. "I'll let you two talk." He turned to Andy and took her hands down. "I'll see you later." And he kissed her forehead and left. Andy was red. She couldn't believe that Jacky had caught them kissing like that. "So what's new Jacky?" She managed to say after awhile.  
  
"Who cares about me. What about you?"  
  
"What do you mean?" Andy tried to hide it. "You know what I mean, Dr. Campbell, I saw the hot lip action that was going on in here with Dr. Morton. And I have to say congratulations. He's a nice man." Andy looked her in the eyes.  
  
"I know, he is. He's great actually." She bit her lip and looked into thin air. "What can I say? Jacky, he's amazing and I want to thank you. You practically were the reason we are together now. I love him. And hopefully we will take that somewhere after my divorce and everything is back on track. I really hope we do. And some people think it's just a rebound thing from my abusive soon to be ex-husband, but it's not. It really is love. I really love him and he loves me." She shrugged at her and smiled.  
  
"Wow. That's great Dr. Campbell, and your welcome. I'd like to thank you to. If it weren't for you and Dr. Morton, I wouldn't be here and I wouldn't be now married! And I wouldn't be needed your help again with something so precious." She rubbed her stomach and looked down at it.  
  
"Oh my god. You're married now! And about to have a...a ...oh my god. A baby! Well I'll be glad to help you." They talked for a little longer and did some tests and got the baby situation in order before Andy had to rush to the ER for yet another daily illness or car accident.  
  
*****  
  
Me: Hey guys! Sorry about the intro! I didn't tell my dot friend to do that, and no I didn't get swept away in Isabel either. She made that up because she thinks I'm special! I'm fine, I just had some business to take care of before the started that chapter.  
  
MarchingDot: Haha. I fooled ya'll! You guys are idiots!  
  
~Audience grows angry~  
  
Me: Umm..Dot I don't think you should have said that!  
  
~Audience stands and starts to head towards MD.~ ~MD hides behind SR02~  
  
MD: Oh my god! Stampede of Caucasian people!  
  
Me: Hahahahahaha! That's funny. Well I'll see you in the next chapter! It'll be a little more interesting, I promise! Review please! 


	2. The Abusive Husband

Me: Hola amigos! Chapter 5 is comin at ya! DUCK! Just kidding. Hehe. The last chappy was pretty short and was hosted by my pal, MarchingDot. MD is great and hilarious. Anywayz, I don't own the characters, as many of you already know.  
  
~Peter suddenly appears.~  
  
Peter: You can own me. ~Wink, wink.~  
  
~SR02 laughs her ass off.~  
  
Me: Riiight. Lemme think about it a minute babes!  
  
~Peter winks once more at SR02 and then disappears.~  
  
Me: Wow! That was unexpected.  
  
~Audience laughs. CM02 appears.~  
  
CM02: Hey gurl!  
  
~Shadow appears~  
(A/N: Shadow is on of CM02's characters in her stories. She doesn't own him, but she writes about him.)  
  
Shadow: Come on Crazy! Why not?  
  
~Audience stares blankly at the two.~  
  
CM02: Because Shadow, you already had your chance with this fine sista! So don't you bez trying to come up in here and tap this ass.!  
  
~Audience laughs hysterically.~  
  
Me: Riight! Look I don't know what's going on between you two, and frankly I don't think I want to find out so, on with the fic. See ya after everyone!  
  
*****  
  
It was four days until the court hearing and Andy had told her kids about it. She asked her lawyer if they had to be there and he told her yes and to prepare them for it. Andy felt pretty secure that she would end up getting full custody. That night she sent Jessie with her grandmother and Lizzie to a friend's house. Corrina was still at the house helping her cook dinner for Milo.  
  
"Ok Corrina, I think I can handle it from here." She smiled at her.  
  
"Yeah, you can. Well have a nice time." Corrina gave her a 'don't do anything I wouldn't do' look and left for her car. Andy heard the front door slam shut and continued to cook. After a couple of minutes she heard the door open again. She stopped moving around the kitchen and figured it was Milo but wondered why he was early and why he didn't knock.  
  
"Milo?? Milo, sweetie, is that you?? Milo?" Andy was confused when there was no answer. She decided to check it out. When she got to the front hallway, the light was off and she could only see the outline of a man near the front door. She studied him from afar and knew that it wasn't Milo. Milo was taller and more muscular then this stranger in her house but she called his name anyway. "Milo?"  
  
"Who's Milo?" The voice hit her hard, like a baseball bat hits a homerun. Her hands started to shake and her voice trembled.  
  
"Les?!" He stepped out of the shadows and she saw him laughing at her frightened face. Her heart started to pump its blood even faster and her mind was going haywire. She couldn't believe he was back. "What are you doing here??!"  
  
"I just came to talk. Is that such a crime?"  
  
"I don't know, we'll see." She sounded angrier. How dare he show up here unexpected. She decided to speak her mind. "You shouldn't be here. You should have called or something first. How can you do that?"  
  
"Easily. And you never answered my question?" She didn't realize they had been talking for about ten minutes. "Who's Milo, Andy?? Huh? Who's Milo?" Before she could answer him, someone knocked on the door and came in without it being answered. It was Milo. He was always on time. Les looked from Andy to Milo and it finally clicked in his head. This was Milo and he had brought her flowers. He started to chuckle at the sight of it. Andy looked at her feet.  
  
"Umm..what's going on Andy?" Milo asked from the doorway. She didn't say anything. The awkwardness of the situation made her nervous.  
  
"Let me guess, this is Milo?" Les looked him up and down. "Are you dating him?" Andy couldn't talk. Something just stopped her from doing it. Stopped her from explaining everything.  
  
"Yes, she is? How are you?" Milo walked toward them.  
  
"Why, Dr. Andy didn't tell you about me?"  
  
"I don't know, who are you?" Andy stayed quiet.  
  
"Hi." Les stuck out his hand to shake Milos. "I'm Les, Andy's husband." Milo snatched his hand away. He itched closer to Les growing angry. His fists balled up ready to take him out.  
  
"So you're the son a bitch who broke her heart."  
  
"Excuse me?!" Les was ready to fight also.  
  
"You heard me. And I'd like to thank you before I kick your ass. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't have met the one women I've been waiting for. So say your welcome, and then say hi to my fist hitting your face!" Milo went to swing. Les was ready. Andy jumped in the middle.  
  
"NOO! Stop!" She was breathing heavy. "I don't want you to fight." She turned to Les. "You shouldn't be here. Leave."  
  
"And if I don't?"  
  
"Les, don't make me throw you out twice." He held up his hand and she thought he was going to slap her again but he just cupped her cheek and said, "I'll see you later." And left out the front door. Andy sank to the floor and started to cry. Milo wrapped his arms around her.  
  
"I would have fought him you know." He eventually said to her.  
  
"I know, but he's stronger than you think. And I don't want anything to happen to you." Tears spilled down her face for awhile. She just laid in his arms for the rest of the evening. Andy couldn't eat. She didn't want to. Milo eventually did after she fell asleep on the couch.  
  
The next morning Andy woke up in her bed. She was in her pajamas and was wondering how she got in them. Nobody was in the room, but the other side of the bed was unmade. Her eyes focused on the clock. It was 8 AM. She yawned and stretched out her arms and legs. The covers were so warm. Milo entered the room with a tray. On it was orange juice and chocolate chip pancakes. She grinned and sat up.  
  
"That's so sweet Milo, you know that's my favorite breakfast." She kissed him as a thank you and ate her breakfast as he read the paper next to her. After she finished they talked for awhile.  
  
"Lizzie should be home about noon to one. I have to be at work at two. You going in today?"  
  
"Yes, but not till 3."  
  
"I see."  
  
"Well, you know what I see?" He was looking at her.  
  
She laughed because she knew what he was thinking. "What?"  
  
"One of the sexiest women at Rittenhouse. One of the best doctors I know. And the only person I love." She couldn't help but laugh at him. He was just so cute. "Why are you laughing at me? It's true." Her hand slid down his face and she stared into his brown eyes.  
  
"I love you to." They kissed. And kissed, and kissed and kissed! It seemed like forever but they liked it. She moaned with him.  
  
"I don't know what I did to deserve you." She said in between kisses. He chuckled at her. "Thanks for being there Milo." Andy eventually said after she pulled away from him. "I'm not going anywhere, remember that." He went back to his paper. She study his body. All he was wearing was his night pants. His chest was revealed to be muscular and delicious. Her teeth bit down on her bottom lip with hunger.  
  
"I'm hungry." She said.  
  
"You just ate."  
  
"Not for food, dum dum." She took the paper out of his hands and threw it on the floor while rolling on top of his body.  
  
"Is that so?" He smiled at her actions. "Don't call me dum."  
  
"Sorry. Why don't you let me make it up to you?"  
  
"Go ahead."  
  
She kissed him with passion and moved down his body seeking the one thing that was no longer forbidden to her. He was hers and all hers. And she was glad to have him.  
  
It was 11:30 before they knew it.  
  
"I should go now."  
  
"Yeah." She sat up still covering herself so nothing flopped out from under the covers. Andy watched him get dressed. After he did he sat next to her on the bed.  
  
"That was great." She said.  
  
"I'll see you later ok." His lips met hers for a goodbye kiss. "I love you."  
  
"I love you to." He left her there waiting for her daughter.  
  
*****  
  
Me: Aww..that was cute. Les has returned!! Ahh! Run for your life. Anywayz, there will be more chapters guys so don't worry. Review my loyal fans!!!!! Muahahahaha! I don't know why I laugh like that. Anywayz, tomorrow I'm gonna be in so much pain! I'm getting braces! NO!!! Well, wish me luck! Bubiz! 


	3. Divorce Court

Me: Special is in da hizzouse! Put ya hands up, put ya hands up!  
  
~Audience stares blankly~  
  
Me: Ok, maybe not. Lets get MarchingDot out hurr. Come on out MD.  
  
~MD comes onstage and the crowd goes wild~  
  
MD: How y'all doin? ~Waves to audience and then turns to SR02~ And that's Ms. Dot to you bizzach!  
  
Me: Whateva!  
  
~Laughter~  
  
MD: What do ya say we introduce somebody new Special?  
  
Me: Ok, you can do the honors.  
  
~Magic envelope appears in MD's hands~  
  
MD: And the Toni goes to.....RemoteKween. Come and get it RK.  
  
RK: OH...~Fake crying~ Oh, thank you. Thank you so much. First I'd like to thank the academy and then my parents! There is no way I could have done this without you. I would just-  
  
MD: Ok that's enough.  
  
Me: Hey RK, 'toot toot toot'.  
  
RK: Hey! Don't make fun of my daddy!  
  
Me: I'm just playin! Say, RK, is it hot in here or what??  
  
RK: Haha, no gurl that's because I'm here. ~Fans herself with her hand.~  
  
MD: Riiight. Anywayz, like always, Special doesn't own any characters, just her specialness!  
  
Me: Hey! Sshhkisank!  
  
MD: What did you just say Special?  
  
Me: Don't make fun of me because I got a slur from my braces alright!  
  
~Laughter and finger pointing at SR02.~  
  
Me: HEY! Just get to the G.D. story before I opens dis can of woopass! Hehe....  
  
*****  
  
"Order, order!" The judge tapped her gavel on it's platform. "Will the plaintiff and the defendant please rise." Andy stood right after Les did. "By the power vested in me, Dr. Andy Marsh Campbell and Dr. Lester Campbell are now hear by divorced. The custody of Jessica Campbell and Elizabeth Campbell will go to Dr. Andy Marsh Campbell." A sigh of relief came from Andy's chest. "Dr. Lester Campbell will be able to visit but he must warn Dr. Andy Marsh Campbell of his doings. Court adjourned." She tapped her gavel once more and walked away into her office. Andy turned to her children and smiled. They didn't smile back but she understood why. Les came up to them.  
  
"Daddy!" Lizzie ran to him.  
  
"Hey baby girl." He looked at Jessie. "Come here you." They hugged him goodbye. "Bye dad." Jessie said.  
  
"Don't worry, I'll come visit I promise." He could make promises easily, question was, could he keep them?  
  
"Come on girls, lets go home." Andy said while approaching them. Les caught her eyes and smiled. He hugged her and whispered in her ear, "Thank you."  
  
"Go get in the car." She ordered Jessie and Lizzie. When they had gone, she turned back to Les while walking out the courtroom.  
  
"For what?"  
  
"For them." He pointed to their kids.  
  
"I didn't do it on my own."  
  
"And." He took her hand. "Thank you for twenty five years Andy, I'm sorry it had to end like this."  
  
"Yeah, me to."  
  
"Oh, and tell Milo I said hi." He walked away to his car. Everything would have been ok being left the way it was if he hadn't of said that last thing. She got in the car and drove home with her kids. They spent all day together.  
  
The next morning at work Andy was feeling in between emotions. She wasn't really glad that he was finally gone, but she wasn't entirely sad either. Lu walked into her office and sat down infront of her.  
  
"So, it's done huh? He's gone?" Andy nodded still looking at her calendar on her desk. "You going to be ok?"  
  
"Yeah, I'll be fine." She responded still not looking up at Lu.  
  
"So, where's Milo today?" This got Andy's attention. She looked at Lu and shrugged saying, "I don't know. I haven't talked to him since last night and even then it was a short conversation."  
  
"A short conversation? Why, what were you guys doing?" Lu gave her that look like something was going on.  
  
"It was over the phone Delgado!"  
  
"Oh, sorry."  
  
"I mean, do you honestly think I would be in the mood for that the night before I'm about to divorce my husband?"  
  
"Hey, I said I was sorry. I was just kidding ok."  
  
"Yeah, well it wasn't very funny." Andy got up and walked off to see a patient.  
  
Andy was sitting in her office again, this time on the couch when Lana knocked on the door.  
  
"What can I do for you Hawkins?"  
  
"Milo's on line one Dr. Campbell."  
  
"Oh! Thank you." Andy got up and hurried to the phone to talk to him. She waited for Lana to completely shut the door before she picked up the receiver.  
  
"Dr. Campbell here."  
  
"Hi Dr. Campbell."  
  
"Why hello Dr. Morton."  
  
He chuckled. "How are you?"  
  
"I'm ok. I could use some hugs but other than that I'm good."  
  
"Well that's nice. I'll see you later Andy." He hung up the phone. She was shocked because Milo never hung up on her. After a few minutes of wondering, there was another knock on the office door. He stepped inside and grinned at her. It made her laugh.  
  
"What are you doing here?"  
  
"You said you needed hugs, so I came to give you some. I could use a little more then a hug but you know..." Another grin and chuckle came from him.  
  
"Your to sweet." She said while getting up to give him a hug. Then she whispered back, "I could use a little more to you know." She loved to flirt with him. It was her favorite thing to do with him....well...ok maybe her second favorite thing! They sat back down and began kissing. She also liked doing this with him. After awhile, they started talking.  
  
"So, you got the kids right?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Good, he didn't deserve them."  
  
"I don't see why not. When..well before he...you know, left, he was always there for them, I wasn't."  
  
"He didn't have a hard job Andy."  
  
"That's no excuse anymore Milo." She looked down at her hands. "He was a good dad and still is but I've always been a bad mom."  
  
"Hey, don't talk about my girlfriend like that! Because you know it's not true."  
  
"Yeah right." She rolled her eyes.  
  
"Hey, look at me." He cupped her cheek with his palm. "I know your feeling a little insecure right now and a little upset but don't put yourself down like that. Because you're a great person, Andy Campbell. Don't you ever forget it!" She giggled and almost started to cry but kissed him instead.  
  
"Thank you. I needed that."  
  
"Anytime." And they kissed more and more. Her breath got deeper as they got more 'comfortable' with each other. Eventually they had to take a break. But after a few minutes of relaxation in each other's arms they started up again until they had to go back to work.  
  
Everything was going great with Milo, and at work. The divorce hit her kids pretty hard though. Lizzie stopped doing homework and Jessie started spending a lot more time with her friends. Andy decided to help Lizzie with her homework and demand that Jessie be home for dinner at least 4 days of the week. One day, Andy got off of work early and decided to go pick Jessie and Lizzie up from school to go out for the evening. When she drove up to the school bus ramp, there were kids everywhere. Eventually she spotted Jessie leaning on the pole with a guy. Andy pulled off her sunglasses and looked closer. They were kissing and he was rubbing her hips. Andy honked the horn and it made Jessie jump. She signaled with her finger for her to get in the car. After she did, she stepped on the gas and went straight home.  
  
"Lizzie go to your room and turn on your music really loud so that you don't here anything I'm about to say to your sister." Lizzie was too scared to say no so she did what she was told. Jessie plopped down on the couch while Andy sat next to her and started to talk calmly.  
  
"Why did you tell me you had a boyfriend?"  
  
"It's called privacy mom. Every heard of it."  
  
"Jessie, I understand that you want your privacy but I'm your mother and I want to know who your dating and when. And I want to meet him."  
  
"What?!" Andy just looked at her innocently. "You want to meet him?!"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"No way."  
  
"Excuse me?"  
  
"You heard me before mom. It's called privacy. I don't go asking you about your dates." Jessie neatly straightened her outfit and hair to make her look like a smart-ass. "So mom, where'd you go with Dr. Morton the other night? Did you use protection?!"  
  
"Jessica Campbell!!!!!" Jessie glared at her mother with hate. Andy was hurt that her own daughter would say this to her. "Go to your room, your grounded for a month." Jessie grunted and stormed off. Andy put her face in her hands and shook her head. She couldn't believe what Jessie, her own fifteen-year-old daughter just said to her.  
  
Andy ate lunch with Milo the next day at the clinic. She had told him about her conversation with Jessie.  
  
"I don't know Milo. I'm her mother. Don't you think I have a right to know what she's doing?" He nodded. "I just can't believe she would say that to me." He nodded again and held her hand. "I was so embarrassed that we.."  
  
"What? Are playing doctor?" He gave her a sideways grin and it made her laugh.  
  
"Yes. And that she would think..I don't know. I just don't know what to do. I feel like I'm setting a bad example for her."  
  
"Look, Andy, if you want to go slower in our relationship to maybe help out Jessie in some way then ok. I can handle it. But I must warn you that I might be in a bad mood because my shower head doesn't do cold sweetheart." She laughed at him. He could always amuse her when things were going wrong.  
  
"Don't worry, I'll figure out something to do."  
  
"Are you sure?"  
  
"Yeah, I don't think I want to stop..playing doctor." She giggled again.  
  
*****  
  
Me: Hehehe! Wasn't that cute! Oh, and for people who have watched the show and seen that eppy with Jessie's problems then you'll know that I copied a little portion of this Chapter from it. I just thought it was so funny. Anyway, for people who haven't, you'll never know which part so ha!  
  
MD: You're a loser.  
  
RK: She is not!  
  
MD: Hey guess what! I'm gonna be a cheerleader next year! GO HAWKS! ~Does splits in mid-air~  
  
Me: OMG! NOOOOO!!!! ~Starts to cry~ You gotta be section leader gurl! Damn it! Anywayz, review my friends! Muahahaha! 


	4. 1800Missing

Me: BOO!  
  
CM02: Ahhhhh!!!! Oh it's just you.  
  
~Audience laughs. CM02 and SR02 don't seem to notice that they are there.~  
  
Me: What's up my Coffee n' Crème Oreo Twin?  
  
CM02: Nuffin muffin! Hehe.  
  
Me: Cute.  
  
CM02: Gurl you need to write me some more notes during school!  
  
Me: Yeah, I've been trying to but, ya know! I got an email today!  
  
CM02: Oh kewl! I bet you're so proud! ~Says sarcastically~  
  
Me: You know what bizzach! You can kiss my natural black ass. ~Taps natural white ass~  
  
CM02: No thanks.  
  
~Audience starts to make noise to get attention. This time they noticed.~  
  
CM02 and SR02 together: What the &$%#???  
  
~Audience laughs.~  
  
Me: So, Crazy! ~Swishes hands like a DJ~ When ya gonna get those getto aliens out on dis website gurl??  
  
CM02: I'm working on it. I'm working on it. Sheesh!  
  
Me: Yeah, well enough of this crap because it's boring because I couldn't think of anything else to do! Anyway, I don't own any characters or character lines or 'actions' in this story!!!!!!!!!! So on with the chapter.  
  
*****  
Three weeks later Jessie was begging her mom to let her off restriction a week early.  
  
"Mom! Please!!!!"  
  
"Nope."  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"If you can do the crime, then you can do the time."  
  
"All I was doing was kissing a guy! You do it all the time!" She raised her voice at her unfair mother.  
  
"That's not why you're grounded."  
  
"Then why am I?!" She asked while plopping down on the couch next to Andy.  
  
"Because, you didn't talk to me about it. I told you I wanted to know who this guy is. You may consider it private but I'm your mother. I would at least like to meet him Jessie!"  
  
She stood up and stomped. "That is so unfair mom! You didn't tell me about Dr. Morton until after you had dated him for a couple of weeks."  
  
"There's a difference there Jessie. I'm 43 years old and have more experience then you do. Your 15." Andy went back to flipping throw her medical papers.  
  
Jessie sat back down, "How would you know?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"You're always working! You never talk to me about stuff like dad did. I wish I lived with him!" She folded her arms across her chest and looked away from Andy.  
  
"Is that what you think, that I don't want to talk to you? I do, but you wouldn't open up about anything."  
  
"You wouldn't listen if I did."  
  
"You don't know that because you never tried Jessie."  
  
"You're always working mom. You're never home for dinner during the weeknights when I am. And when I'm not here, you're out with Milo. You think it's so easy being a teenager, don't you? You have no idea what it's like to have a mother like you." Andy's heart sank. Her daughter hated her.  
  
"Look." She grabbed her face and forced her to look at her. "I know I'm not always around, but I love you and your sister more then life itself. I'm sorry I screwed up with your father and I'm sorry I'm always busy and not prepared to talk to you about things. I'm sorry that I'm a bad mother but you have no right to talk to me like that because you have no idea what it's like to be me. You have no idea what it's like to constantly be stressed trying to save peoples lives and no idea what it's like to be slapped in the face and to be lied to by your own husband who you had been in love with since you were 19 years old Jessie. You have no idea how stressed and tired I am all the time. I try ok. I try to make room for you and your sister and my job and keeping a roof over your head and food in your mouths and trying to maintain a relationship with another man that I'm falling in love with. So stop trying to push me away and I might be around more." Andy had started to cry. She spilled her guts to her daughter who she knew wouldn't be able to handle it.  
  
"Mom." Andy let go of her face and walked out of the room. Jessie regretted what she had said to her mother, Andy was right, she had no clue what is was like to be that stressed all the time. Tears rolled down her cheeks as she headed up to her bedroom to start the weekend alone. Andy was in her room now thinking about what had happened. Lizzie had already gone to bed that night so it was just Andy and Jessie awake. Both, crying alone in their rooms.  
  
Andy didn't sleep much that night. She was too upset. Jessie didn't either but she kept busy thinking. Her mother didn't need her to cause more stress. Andy didn't need her around anymore, so she decided to leave. She called her boyfriend Derrek who was 16 and could drive and asked if he could take her somewhere. Jessie packed her bags quietly and headed downstairs, got an address from her mothers briefcase, took a lot of money out of her wallet and waited impatiently on the sidewalk for her ride.  
  
Andy's hand slid under the pillow next to her as her eyes opened slightly and adjusted to the lightness in the room. She stretched her body out and didn't feel to good after only getting 5 hours of sleep that night. Eventually, when she was finally awake she got out of bed and put on her robe to do her morning ritual. Get the paper, read it, drink her coffee, cook breakfast, wake up the girls, eat breakfast, and then get ready for work if she had to go that day. When it came to waking the girls up she found Lizzie already awake downstairs watching TV and Jessie no where to be found. She panicked.  
  
"Lizzie, have you seen your sister?"  
  
"Not since last night mommy, why?"  
  
"No reason. I just can't find her." Lizzie got up and started looking around for her sister along with her mother. Andy was running around the house calling out her daughters name thinking the most terrible things that goes through a mothers head when her child is missing. She immediately got on the phone with everyone she knew. Nobody had seen her. After about an hour of worry and looking for her she eventually got dressed and went to the hospital to see if she was there.  
  
"Come on Lizzie walk faster."  
  
"I can't mom!" They were practically running into the clinic. She slowed down for her other daughter to catch her breath but not for long. She ran to Lana's desk.  
  
"Hawkins." She said in between gasps for air. "Have you seen Jessie?"  
  
"No. Why? What's going on?" Andy was going to start crying again.  
  
"Shit."  
  
"Mommy, don't say bad words." Lizzie corrected her mother.  
  
"I'm sorry sweetie, won't happen again." "Andy, what's going on? Your not supposed to come into work today?" Lu said while walking towards them. "And you usually aren't supposed to bring your children." She smiled at Lizzie and ran her fingers through her hair. Lizzie smiled back and started to play with Lu's pens that were in her lab coat pocket.  
  
"I can't find her Delgado."  
  
"Who?"  
  
"Jessie. I woke up this morning and she was gone. We had a big fight last night about everything that has been going on lately and I just know she ran away." Andy was so worried she was crying in front of people she wouldn't normally cry in front of. "I called everyone, nobody has seen her. I came here just in case she came to talk to you or something because she likes talking to you about things because she can't open up to me." Panic filled her body. She was impatient and arrogant, she wanted Jessie to come out from hiding from her. Andy didn't let go of Lizzie's hand for a long time.  
  
"Andy, calm down. I'm sure she just went to her friend's house or something. How far could she get? She's 15, she doesn't drive so the only was she could leave would be walking."  
  
Andy shook her head. "No. she's got a boyfriend Lu. He's 16, she told me. He drives and I'll just bet you that he took her somewhere." She was still crying.  
  
"Oh. Well, still, calm down. She's a smart girl, she's not going to be hurt, I promise."  
  
"Delgado, I'm not stupid ya know! You can never assure me that my oldest daughter is going to be ok, when I don't know where the hell she is!!!!"  
  
"Mommy!"  
  
"I'm sorry sweetie. Mommy's upset right now ok."  
  
"Maybe she went to Derrek's house with him." Lizzie suggested. Andy hadn't thought about calling Derrek.  
  
"Lizzie, honey, look at me." Andy got eye level with her. "Do you know Derrek's phone number?"  
  
"Not by heart, but I know where Jessie keeps it."  
  
"Where??"  
  
"In her room, on her calendar." Andy got back up and looked at Lu.  
  
"I'm going back home to call him. See if I can get anything. Do me a favor? Call Milo and tell him to come over to my house to help me." Lu nodded. "Thanks a million." She wiped away the tears on her face and ran back out to the car to drive back to her house to make some more phone calls. Unfortunately, if she couldn't get anything out of this last phone call then she would have to make one more, to the police.  
  
Jessie grabbed the sides of her seat while the plane slowly landed at the California airport. She had never ridden a plane before and thought it would be fun. It wasn't. After awhile of waiting, she eventually was aloud to get her things and walk off of the plane into the waiting area of the airport. She stopped a man in mid-walk. "Excuse me sir, do you know where I can find a telephone?" He pointed to the payphones around the corner. "Thank you." He nodded and continued his journey. When she reached the phones she took some change from her pocket and called her dad's home number. He answered with a tired tone.  
  
"Hello?"  
  
"Hi dad. It's me, Jessie."  
  
"Hey sweetie. How are you?"  
  
"Not so good. I have a surprise for you."  
  
"Really what?"  
  
"I'm at the California airport."  
  
"What?!"  
  
"I've come to visit live with you."  
  
"Jessie, does your mother know about this?"  
  
"Umm....umm."  
  
"I'm registering that as a no. Look stay where you are, I'm coming to get you ok?"  
  
"Ok." They hung up the phone and she went to get the rest of her luggage and to wait for her dad.  
  
Andy reached the house within 10 minutes. It usually took 15 to get there from Rittenhouse. She grabbed Lizzie's hand again and led her inside through the garage. She ran up to Jessie's room and flipped through her calendar. Lizzie came to the door.  
  
"Not that calendar. Her planner one in her desk." Andy ran to her desk and went through the drawers. It was nowhere to be found. "She must have taken it with her, where ever she went." Lizzie said while shrugging. Andy collapsed on Jessie's bed and shoved her face into her hands crying again. Lizzie sat next to her and rubbed her back.  
  
"It'll be ok, right mommy? Jessies going to be ok, right?" Andy hugged her.  
  
"Yeah, Lizzie, she'll be ok." Andy lied. She didn't know whether or not Jessie would ever come back, or she would ever find out where she was or if she would be ok. "Come on sweetie, let's go downstairs and have some of that cold breakfast." Lizzie laughed and agreed. They ate in silence. Well, Lizzie ate, Andy didn't. The doorbell rang. Andy prayed that it was Jessie but when she reached the door she found Milo standing there looking worried. Andy collapsed into his arms and sobbed.  
  
"Lu filled me in. Any new news?" Andy shook her head no and sat down on the couch. Lizzie came in.  
  
"Hi Milo." She waved.  
  
"Hey girl. Come here." She motioned for her to come give him a hug and she did. Andy looked at how well Lizzie got along with her boyfriend and was wishing that Jessie could do the same.  
  
"Lizzie why don't you go watch some TV in the study ok?"  
  
"Why can't I watch it in here?" She pointed to the TV in front of them.  
  
"Just go in the study so the adults can talk." Lizzie walked off, not wanting to start anything with her mother. Andy hugged Milo again. Her heart wouldn't stop beating fast. She was so worried and scared. He supported her weight as she laid her head on his chest and breathed deeply trying not to cry again.  
  
"I know how you're feeling Andy, it's going to be ok."  
  
"How do you know what I'm going through."  
  
"Because, once, a long time ago. I lost my nephew in the park for hours. We were at the ice cream stand and I was paying the vender and then I turned back to him and he was gone. I couldn't find him anywhere."  
  
"So what happened?" She was curious now so she sat up to look at him. Her face was red and wet from all her emotions that day. He smoothed out her hair.  
  
"Turns out that he had found a dog sitting by the tree and he had gone to pet it."  
  
"And??"  
  
"And the dog ran as he approached it so he decided to follow it. He knew better then to go into the street but he didn't have to worry about that because the dog was leading him to the lake." Andy gasped thinking the worst. He smiled at her because she didn't know what was coming next. "I searched and searched. They were by the lake now. Plenty of people around. There was something floating on top of the water next to them and the dog was barking at it. So my nephew decided to get it to see what it was. He waded into the lake and grabbed it. It was just a piece of cloth. But then he tripped. And started to go under the water. The dog jumped in after him and pulled him back to shore. Everybody ran towards him and I had spotted him by then so I ran as fast as I could. I kept worrying about him. It never went away even after I found him. The dog had saved his life. You know what my nephews name is right?"  
  
"Yeah, you told me. Justin." She was glad he told her this story because Jessie and Justin seemed so much alike, not just their names.  
  
"I let him keep the dog. He was only 6 at the time. He named the dog Cloey."  
  
"Thanks for telling me that. It made me forget what was going on."  
  
"I thought it would ease your mind a bit." She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him gently on the lips. They kept kissing until they jumped out of their skin when the phone rang right next to them. She laughed at the site of it and then picked up the phone.  
  
"Hello?"  
  
"Andy, its Les." She sat up away from Milo.  
  
"Les? What do you want?"  
  
"I just wanted to call and tell you that Jessies here. So don't worry about it."  
  
"WHAT?!!!!" She stood up. "Oh. Thank god! What is she doing there?" Milo stood up next to her and gave her that look like 'what the hell is going on'. "She said she's come to live with me. She told me about the fight Andy. How could you say that to her? You know she's sensitive like that."  
  
"Yeah. I don't know what I was thinking. Maybe that she needed to be set straight instead of in fairyland with her father!" She was yelling into the phone now.  
  
"Hey, at least I called and told you that she's in California now."  
  
"Well, send her home. Now!"  
  
"She doesn't want to come home. I don't think I have the energy or money to keep her here but she refuses to leave. Something about you not needing or wanting her in Philly."  
  
"That's crazy and you know it. Les, of course I want her here. She's my daughter for crying out loud. I love her more then anything and I want her home. I have full custody. The judge said nothing about she having a choice about where to live, although, she does. I want her here, and you don't want her there and-"  
  
"It's not that I don't want her here Andy, it's just that I can't handle it right now. As you are yourself, dating, so am I and mines a different kind and I don't want to subject our 15 year old daughter to that kind of stuff."  
  
"Well, thank you I really wanted to know about your sex life Les!"  
  
"Look, I'll send her home after I convince her to go because if she doesn't want to and I do then she's just going to run away again and when she does she won't come here because she's smart. She knows that I would send her right back to you so she'll head somewhere else and I don't want her to be dead in a ditch somewhere."  
  
Andy was pacing around the living room. "What? And you think I do?"  
  
"Of course not. Listen. I'll call you back when your not so hot headed! Goodbye and your daughter is ok." He hung up. She pushed the talk button herself to hand the phone up and threw it on the couch. Milo looked at her all puzzled.  
  
"She's at her fathers house. IN CALIFORNIA!" She threw her hands up in the air and sat back down on the couch.  
  
"At least you know where she is."  
  
"Yeah, thing is. I don't know if she is coming home or not." She started to cry and let it all out on Milos shoulder. "She hates me and doesn't want to live here anymore. She wants to be with her father because she doesn't think I need her here, Milo, she wishes she wasn't my daughter and she thinks I'm a terrible mother, which I'm beginning to believe." She said in between sobs of tears.  
  
"We've already been through this Andy. You're not a bad mother!"  
  
"He's right." Lizzie walked in on them talking. Andy sat up and looked at her daughter who was still in her reach. "Mommy, your not a bad mom. You're a great mom. And I understand that you are busy and don't have a lot of time on your hands and that you're stressed a lot. Jessie is just to stupid to see it. So don't worry. We both still love you, we just want you to be around more often. My way of showing it is to try and help you around the house and get you to help me with my homework." She blushed because she had made Andy believe that the reason she wasn't doing it right was because of the divorce. "Jessie's way is to leave. Make you notice that she's not here anymore. Believe me, I heard her talking on the phone with Sherry." Andy grabbed Lizzie and hugged her. Milo sat back and watched them.  
  
"Thank you sweetie." Andy whispered in her ear. "Everything is going to be ok. I promise, your sister will be back."  
  
"I know." She replied while still hugging her mother.  
  
The next week Jessie lived with her father. Andy called her every night to see if she was doing ok. It was Sunday afternoon and she hadn't talked to Les or Jessie since Friday night. She sat at the kitchen counter on a barstool reading a magazine. The door opened and she wondered who it was because Lizzie was upstairs in her room. Jessie walked around the corner into the kitchen as Andy was getting off the stool. Her mouthed dropped and she ran to her daughter and hugged her. Jessie hugged back with love.  
  
"I'm sorry mom." She began to cry. "I'm sorry I ran away. I just couldn't take it anymore. I won't do it again. I promise. I won't put that much stress on you again." She smelt her mothers perfume and body smell and felt relaxed know that she was home again. Her father wasn't has much fun and exciting as he thought he would be. He worked all the time to and his house wasn't as big and nice as her mothers was.  
  
"It's ok honey. I'm just glad your home again." Andy didn't let go of Jessie for a long time. After she finally did they sat on the couch and talked about 'things' for hours. Jessie opened up to telling Andy about her relationship with Derrek and Andy opened up about telling Jessie about her relationship with Milo. From then on, they talked a lot about a lot of different things. After a couple of more weeks, Jessie finally opened up and let Milo into her heart. She finally realized that her mother loved him and he wasn't going anywhere anytime soon. Andy met Derrek and thought he was a nice guy and let Jessie date him but made her promise not to do anything stupid that she knew she would regret. Everything worked out fine.  
  
*****  
  
Me: Aww! Happy endings. Somebody hand me a tissue! ~Fake crys~ Ok, guys, review review review!!!! Hehe. Luv Alwayz, Special!!! 


	5. The Auction

Me: Hey y'all!!! I'm back with more. This chapta is gonna be off da hook, fo' real dawg! Hahaha! Sorry! Hey Crazy, FO' SHEEZY!!!!!!!!!!! Hahaha! Sorry y'all, but ya gotta read CrazedManiac02's story 'Screwed In Shizzam' to figure that one out. Wahahahaha! Hehehe! Anyway, I'm basically writing this because I have to stay up all night tonight because I have to be at school at 3 AM for the band trip to NY. Wish us luck at our USSBA National Competition at Giants Stadium baby!!!!!!!!!!! Can I get a HELL YEAH!!!! (Peeps: HELL YEAH!!!!) Haha, anyway, on with the chapta, I hope you guys like it.  
  
*****  
  
It was about 6 months later and the staff of Rittenhouse Women's Health Center (RWHC) were in a meeting in the staff room discussing the annual Male Auction. Dr. Robert Jackson was running the action. "Ok, my crew, this is the annual Male Auction as we all know by now. It's to help raise money for the hospital. Patients come and bid on male employees. You know the drill right?" Everybody nodded and a few people said 'yes'. Andy was standing against the window and Milo was sitting sideways from her. Lu, Lana, Peter, and Nick were there, along with a bunch of other employees. "Now, I need a list of who is going to actually action themselves off." Dr. Jackson walked over to Milo. "I was wondering if our highest priced male was participating this year?" He looked at him expecting him to answer 'yes'.  
  
Milo hesitated and then grabbed Andy's hand. She was surprised. "Sorry, Dr. Jackson, I'm taken this year, for free." He smiled at Andy and she blushed and looked at her feet. Jackson looked from Andy to Milo and was disappointed but understood the choice he had made. Lu nudged Lana and whispered in her ear, "Look at them." She looked at Andy and Milo again. "I wish I had that."  
  
Lana looked at them as well, "Don't we all, honey?" They nodded and went back to listening to Dr. Jackson.  
  
"We need people who will set up the action, and a host."  
  
Milo spoke up, "Well, Dr. Jackson, since I'm not auctioning myself this year, then why don't I host it?"  
  
"That sounds good to me." He wrote Milos name down next to 'host'. "Ok good, so Dr. Morton is hosting. Anybody who is interested in auctioning themselves but has questions can see me. (A/N: Note that Dr. Jackson, isn't a complete jerk in my stories. So don't call him Dr. Jerkson.) The auction will be held in one month. Ok, go back to work people." They all left to continue their jobs.  
  
Andy was in her office when Milo walked in a couple of hours later.  
  
"Boo." She looked up and smiled at him, then got up and hugged him. (A/N: Just to inform you guys, Andy and Milo, at this point in the story, have been dating for about a year. They are very serious about each other.)  
  
"So you're going to host this thing huh?"  
  
"Yep." They sat down on the couch and she placed her leg over his and laid her head down on his chest. "You going to come?"  
  
"Probably. I went last year, remember?"  
  
"How could I forget." He smiled at her and ran his fingers through her thin brown hair, which was now past her shoulders but she kept it pretty much short through the entire story. "The day we 'found' each other I guess you could say." They thought back to those first weeks. Andy and Milo had been working on a woman that was actually bidding on Milo and bought him for a date at he auction the year before, but she collapsed on the ground with an overly enlarged heart after she purchased him. Milo gave her a heart attack to make her heart smaller and it seemed to work. He started to have feelings for Andy and then decided to do something about it. He told her but she was just separated from her husband then so she didn't know how to handle it very good. She remembered it so well. He asked her to dinner in the elevator but she canceled on him because she was afraid, then she reconsidered it or him and decided to cancel her cancellation. They've been together ever since, through thick and thin. (A/N: That pretty much sums up about 2 episode in the middle of season four. That's how they got together though. Need more information, just email me. Anyway, back to them.)  
  
"We've been together for almost a year now." She said after a long silence.  
  
"Mm.hmm... almost." He nodded and stared into space.  
  
"What's up with you lately?"  
  
"What are you talking about?" He said smartly.  
  
"Classic, Milo." She slapped him gently on his abbs. "Answer my question with a question." He shrugged. "I mean, you've been a little weird lately."  
  
"Weird?" She sat up and looked him in the eye. He looked back innocently.  
  
"Never mind." She sighed and he chuckled at her actions.  
  
The next 4 weeks went by fast. Their year of dating anniversary was a couple of days away. People invaded the hospital courtyard for the auction. Chairs were set up everywhere and there was a small stage for the host and auctioneers and a drink table along with some snacks. Andy was wearing a spaghetti strap tropical dress that slanted and had ruffles at the bottom. It shaped her figure just right and her hair was up in a twist so you could see her big bluish-green eyes. The dress was a red-orange color with a slight tint of pink towards the middle. She stood there watching people arrive and looking to find Lu. Lu snuck up behind her.  
  
"Who ya looking for?" She said loudly behind her, which made Andy jump slightly.  
  
"You, but you seemed to have found me first. It's a good thing I didn't have my drink in my hand, I would have crashed it upside your head." Lu looked at her surprised.  
  
"Yeah good thing." Lu was wearing just the opposite of Andy. A blue dress that was three-fourths sleeves and it was v-necked to show off her cleavage, which was also decorated with a lovely pearl on the end of a gold chain. The dress reached down to her mid-calf. "So, how's everything going lately?" Andy and Lu haven't talked in awhile because they have both been so busy with work and all. "Or should I say how's your love life, because that's all I'm really interested in?" Andy shrugged and giggled at her co- worker.  
  
"Everything's great. Milo's great, although he's been acting strange lately."  
  
"How do you mean?"  
  
"I don't know how to describe it. He just seems different."  
  
"People change every day you know."  
  
"Yes, smart-alack, I know. You sound like my now 16 year old daughter who just got her license and is begging me to buy her a car."  
  
"So she passed huh?"  
  
"Unfortunately yes."  
  
"What's wrong with her driving?"  
  
"Oh nothing, I was just rambling." Andy looked around again. They adjusted their heads to the stage where they heard Milo's voice.  
  
"Ok, everybody. Time to auction. I'm your host this evening..Dr. Milo Morton. Nice to see the large amount of young ladies and gentlemen who came this evening to help out the RWHC. We appreciate this. Anywho, let's not waste anymore time and get our first 'item' out here." He did the two fingers quote, unquote thing for when he said 'item'. Andy shook her head at him. Later on, during the break, Milo was talking to some other men so Andy focused her attention to Lu.  
  
"So, Delgado, how's your life going?"  
  
"My love life?"  
  
"Just your life in-general, all of it."  
  
"Well, some of it's ok and some of it's not. Marc is a junior now. He's doing good in school, hasn't gotten into any trouble this year, yet! Dr. life is ok. I still wish I had more time with him but you know how that is." Andy nodded. "My love life, I have to say is bad." Andy got a little more interested then but still remanded at her normal 'really, that's interesting,' calm army look. "I've dated a lot since Mickey, I'm practically over it. He'll always be there you know? I mean, he was the man I was in love with for the first time after I was raped. He meant everything to me, but I know he would want me to move on and I have. None of the guys are right for me though. No chemistry. Like what you have with Milo. That is what I want. Someone like him."  
  
"Don't go getting any ideas now. He's all mine." She pointed to herself and laughed.  
  
"Oh, I wouldn't do that. It would probably be easy but you know."  
  
"HEY!" She nudged her hard so it threw off balance but not for a long period of time. They laughed together until Milo came back on.  
  
"Well, I sorry to say ladies. But that about raps up the auction. We have no more men, I'm sorry." He ran his finger down his check, symbolizing sympathy for the women there who haven't purchased anybody. "But I do have one more thing to do that is very important to me and one other person here tonight." He smiled great big. "You see ladies and gentlemen, last year at this auction I was bought by a patient who happen to collapse right after she purchased me. What luck I have huh?!" The audience laughed, not expecting what was next. Andy looked up and nudged Lu again and gave her that look like 'WTF is he doing now?!'. "And, there was another doctor who helped me work on this girls problems with her heart. A doctor that I've known since she came to Rittenhouse but not personally, just business like. We just happened to grow closer over those working days and eventually I got around to telling her how I felt." Andy gave Lu another 'WTF is he doing now?!' look. She just shrugged. "Next week will mark the one year anniversary of us dating. And I just wanted to point out that I love this women and I believe that there is no one else for me in the world." People clapped. Andy stared at him amazed. Milo grabbed the microphone from the stand and started walking into the crowd to Andy who was buy a big tree near the back.. Lu was puzzled. What was he doing? Announcing his love? Everybody knew about them already so she was still puzzled. Andy started to get nervous at what her boyfriend was doing. He approached her and grabbed her hand with his free one. Everybody turned and gazed at them in perfect silence. "That doctor ladies and gentlemen." He didn't take his eyes off of hers. "Is Andy Campbell." He put the microphone down on the table next to them and pulled a small black velvet box out of his tux pocket. She knew what it was. She had received one before and couldn't believe that she was receiving yet another one. Tears started to pour down her check. Not tears of sadness but tears of happiness. He knelt of one knee and opened the box. Inside was a ring. A single diamond stone sat in the middle and was surrounded by a bed of gold. More tears came and she started to breathe heavier. He took her hand again and held the box up with the other.  
  
"Andy, will you marry me?" Lus jaw dropped to the ground along with Lanas and Peters. Andy stopped crying just enough to answer his question that she had been waiting for.  
  
She nodded while answering, "Yes, I will marry you Milo." They smiled at each other and he slid the ring on the appropriate finger and he stood up to kiss her. A bunch of clapping and 'oooooohs and awwwwws' came from the crowd. Andy was in heaven with him. She loved him so much and never wanted him to let go off her. 'Everything I do, I do it for you' by Bryan Adams came on over the loud speaker and it took them all by surprise. Dr. Robert Jackson picked up the microphone.  
  
"I guess I'll take it from here. You're a little busy." He said to Milo while he was still hugging her. He said into the microphone next, "Thought we would end this auction and lovely evening full of suprizes with a song, for our new lovely couple." Andy and Milo danced to the song first then other couples and auctioneers and auctions joined in. After the night was over they went back to Milo's apartment and talked and did 'other' things.  
  
"I love you so much Milo." She whispered in his ear while cuddling on the couch.  
  
"I love you to sweetie." He responded. He had found the one. The one who he knew could make him happy for the rest of his life and the one who would be there for him whenever he needed someone to talk to or someone to cry with. She felt the same way. That's how they knew that they were made for each other.  
  
*****  
  
Me: AWWWW!!!!! *Tear* Anyway! Crazy??? *Looks behind curtain and sees Coffee n' Crème Oreo Twin* Come hurr gurl!  
  
CM02: ^_^  
  
Me: Oh yeah! FO' SHEEZY!!!!!!!  
  
CM02: MI' NEEZY!!!!!!  
  
Me and CM02 together: FO' SHEEZY, MI' NEEZY!!!!!!!!!  
  
~Laughter~  
  
Me: Alright, review my loyal fans! Wahahaha!!! And if you wanna know what the whole "FO' SHEEZY, MI' NEEZY" thang is about then ya gonna have to read Screwed in Shizzam by CrazedManiac02 aight?! Thank you. And goodnight! *Throws hands in air and me and CM02 magically disappear leaving audience in amazement!* 


	6. Child Tragadies

Me: Hey everybody! This is the next chapta! Duh!! I don't own any characters and I'm sick of this before prechap shit so frigg it. On with the chapta!!!  
  
*****  
  
Andy was getting her stuff ready to leave the hospital in the middle of the day to pick up Lizzy from her half-day at school. (A/N: Lizzie is actually spelled Lizzy so change that in my background. Sorry guys.) They were going to go shopping together. Her briefcase was almost packed when Dr. Jackson walked into her office. "Where are you going?" "I have to pick Lizzy." She wasn't looking at him. "You coming back?" "I don't know. If I have time, I guess." She still wasn't looking at him. "Today's a very busy day Dr. Campbell, we need you here." "Well, I'm sorry but Lizzy needs me to." She finally stopped packing and looked at him. "I promised her the rest of the day. And I never get to spend time with my kids anymore." "I understand that, but-" "There are no buts, I'm leaving Dr. Jackson." She shut and locked her briefcase and picked it up and walked out of the office. He followed her. "You'll just have to manage without me." "Dr. Campbell, If you walk out of here now-" She whipped around and interrupted him. "What? You'll fire me?" Lu and Lana caught her words and looked up at the two. Dr. Jackson didn't say a word. He just stared at Andy, his eyes saying 'no'. She laughed at him. "I didn't think so." She turned back around and walked out of the clinic. Lu and Lana were wide-eyed, just staring at Dr. Jackson, trying to keep their selves from laughing at him. "Get back to work!" He snapped in their direction and stormed into his office.  
Andy was waiting inside the schools office for them to call Lizzy down. She glanced at her engagement ring and smiled to herself. "Dr. Campbell, she should be on her way." The secretary told her. Andy nodded and walked outside the office to wait for her daughter. Lizzy walked up while Andy was twisting her rind and still smiling. "Mom?" "Oh, Hi sweetie." She took her hand. "Ready to go shopping?!" Lizzy nodded with excitement.  
  
"Buckle up Lizzy." She did what her mother told her and Andy stepped on the gas. They were on a busy road with a bunch of other cars driving towards the mall. When everything turned into chaos. The gas signal went off first in the car. Andy glanced down at the throttle and it was on empty. This told her that she had twenty-five miles left before she ran out of gas. She turned the steering wheel to switch lanes so she could head towards the nearest Texaco. Lizzy turned the radio on and was lying with it until she found something she liked. Andy swirved the car unexpectedly and it jerked Liz's hand making her turn the volume up to max. Andy grabbed the knob and turned it down quickly. "Sorry." Lizzy shrugged. "It's ok." Next, her car phone rang and she picked it up. "Hello?" "Hi, is this Emily?" "Umm.no sorry, you must have the wrong number, this is Dr. Campbell." "Oh, sorry." The stranger hung up the phone. "Yeah, right." She clicked the phone back to it's original spot as well. A few seconds later it rang again and it made both of them jump. "Hello?" "Hey baby." "Oh, hi." Lizzy looked at her mom all starry-eyed. "What are you doing?" Milo asked from the other side of the phone. "Umm..that would be driving." "Duh! I meant where are you going?" "Well, why didn't you say that in the first place?" She teased him innocently. "I don't know sugar, you tell me." He teased her back. "I'm going shopping with Lizzy." "Oh, sounds fun." Lizzy interrupted their conversation. "Mom, is that Milo?" Andy nodded 'yes'. "Can I talk to him?" She begged. "One second honey." "Hm..were you talking to me?" Milo asked but answering to 'honey'. "No." "Oh." "Please mom." Lizzy interrupted again. "Ok, ok." Andy handed her the phone and went back to driving not really paying attention to their conversation. A few seconds later, something buzzed on her hipbone. She grabbed her pager and looked at the number. It buzzed over and over again. Whoever it was, was trying to get in touch with her fast. Lizzy was chatting up a storm with Milo, telling him everything that had happened at school that day. Andy's cell phone rang inside her purse. She bent down to grab it and swirved the car again. "Hello?" She said quickly while sitting back up straight. "Dr. Campbell, there is a patient here requesting that you come to the clinic right away to help her out." Lana's voice rang. "Who?" "Umm." She looked at the folder. "Kelly Smith." "Oh. What's wrong with her?" "High fever, worried mother. That kind of thing." All right, well, I'm really busy right now. Ask Lu if she can handle it or somebody because I really can't make it there right now." "Ok, I'll try. I'll call you back." "Wait. Were you just paging me?" "No." "Ok, bye." She hung up the phone and Lizzy started talking. "Mom, Milo wants to talk to you again." She dropped her pager and cell phone on her lap and grabbed the car phone from Lizzy's hand. "Hi honey." "You talking to me this time?" He responded, teasing once again. She laughed at his actions. "Yeah." "I was wondering if you wanted to get together tonight and go over some of the wedding plans? Maybe do some other things." She smiled at his playfulness. "Sure, I guess." The gas signal went off again telling her that she had ten miles left of gas. "Shit." She muttered underneath her breath so Lizzy couldn't hear her but Milo could. "What's wrong?" "I'm almost out of gas." Her pager buzzed again on her thigh, tickling her. She laughed. "What's so funny?" She laughed again. "Sorry, my pager was tickling my thigh." "Wow, I'm a little jealous. I want to tickle your thigh." He begged. "You will tonight." Lizzy had no idea what they were talking about so she decided to tune them out and listen to the radio again. Her pager went off again. "Ok, sweetheart, I have to go. Someone is paging me and obviously they need me really bad." "Just like me, huh?" He always made her laugh. "Yeah, yeah. Listen, I will see you tonight and I love you all right?" "I love you to Andy. Bye." They hung up the phone and she grabbed her pager again. She was doing everything with one hand while the other was on the steering wheel. "I don't know who this is." She said to herself. Lizzy noticed that she wasn't on the phone anymore and that she was talking to herself. "Who?" "If I knew, I would tell you." She said annoyed by everything at the moment. "Ok, Lizzy, go back there in my briefcase and hand me my black address book." "Ok." She unbuckled her seatbelt and climbed into the backseat. "Here." She handed her the book and Andy started flipping through it with one hand while the other steered and held her pager. Lizzy was halfway back into the front seat. "Wait Lizzy. Stay back there. I need you to find a file for me. The name is Kelly Smith, I think it's in my briefcase, if not then try the box on the floor behind me. Lizzy did what she was asked. After awhile Andy finally found the number and realized that it was her dad in Florida. She thought to herself, 'How could I be so stupid. I didn't recognize the number.' She picked up her cell phone and dialed her father back. He answered. "Hello?" "Dad, hi. It's Andy. Were you just paging me like crazy?" "Yeah that was me." He chuckled. "Is something wrong, because you paged me like you need something quickly."  
  
"Nothings wrong. I just wanted to ask you if-" The connection was lost. "Stupid phone." She hung up and threw the phone back on her lap as her car phone rang. "Oh my gosh." She picked it up. "Hello?" "Hey, It' Hawkins again. Smith is still requesting you. She won't let anybody else help her. Or should I say that her mother won't." "Ugh! I really cannot handle this right now. I have so many errands to run and so many plans to make. Tell her I will be there when I get there. And if she's so impatient then she can have another doctor look at her!" She was yelling into the phone now and distracted Lizzy from her searching through the box and made her drop them all over the backseat. She grunted as Andy hung up the phone. "What's wrong?" "Nothing." She responded by lying. Andy handed her the black address book and concentrated on the road but not for long. "Mom, I can't find it." Lizzy wined from the behind her. "Look harder, I know it's in there." Lizzy grunted again and Andy sighed. Her car phone rang. "Hello?" "Hi, it's me again. Connection was lost I guess." "Yeah, I noticed. So what did you want dad? I'm kind of busy right now." "Just to ask you something about your mother but I guess it can wait considering you're busy and all." He said that like he was offended. "Look, I'm sorry but I really am and I really do not have time to talk Dad." "All right, all right. I'll call you when I get home." Her gas signal went off again saying she hand five miles left but she wasn't worried because the gas station was around the corner, just one more turn. Lizzy was still searching through the box. She went to make the turn. "Ok dad. I'll talk to you- AHHHHH!!!!" She hadn't turned the steering wheel enough and before she knew it she dropped the phone on the floor and her back slammed against the seat. Lizzy flew into the front dashboard and then the airbags pushed her now limp body against the front passenger seat. She was knocked unconscious by the impact. The airbags also hit Andy in the face but didn't completely knock her out. The car spun on the road and Andy grabbed Lizzy's hand and then blacked out with the front left tire under legs and her knee jammed in between the wheel and door. Andy had been right in front of the gas station and the clerk had seen the head on collision from behind the counter and called 911, then rushed to the site of the two cars smashed in the front.  
The ambulance pulled into the ER with Andy, Lizzy, and the other driver on stretchers and with oxygen masks. The other driver hadn't been knocked out and Andy had woken back up. Lizzy was still out though. Nick waited for them to bring the patients out, wondering who it was this time and wondering what was wrong. When he saw Andy's face he gasped. "Oh, no." He turned to the paramedic. "What happened?" "Head on collision. The cars are totaled and so is the little girl. She doesn't look to good Dr." Nick turned his head towards the little girl and realized it was Lizzy. "Oh, no." He repeated himself. They rushed into the ER and the intercom rang out, "Dr. Morton and Dr. Delgado needed in the ER. Dr. Morton and Dr. Delgado needed in the ER." Lu and Milo rushed to the ER and bumped into each other on the way. "Wonder what it is this time." Milo mentioned as they entered the room. A nurse called his name and he ran to the patient, which was the other driver, and didn't even realize that Andy and Lizzy were there, hurting, too. "On my count...1, 2, and." They switched the person to the real hospital bed while the paramedics took the stretcher away. Lu rushed to where Nick was pointed and realized it was Lizzy and that he was taking care of Andy. "Oh god, no."  
Andy turned out to have a broken wrist and a few cuts and bruises from the tire being shoved into her legs. She was lucky nothing worse had happened to her. Milo had just finished with the other driver, which by the way only had a broken foot and a bit of a headache, when he turned around and saw Andy sitting on the bed while Nick was bandaging her cuts and she was fiddling with her cast, waiting impatiently. He ran to her and asked what was going on. "Milo!" She was hysterical. "Where's Lizzy?" "I don't know. Andy, what happened to you?" "There was a car accident. Lizzy didn't have her seatbelt on, where is she?!" She started to cry. "All right, all done." Nick said while standing up next to Milo. Andy jumped up but grunted in pain when she did. Her legs were a little soar. "Nick, where's Lizzy?" She looked around the ER and couldn't find her. They both looked at him. Sympathy filled his eyes. "Lu had to take her to a private room Dr. Campbell. It's....well." "TELL ME DAMNIT!" She yelled at him while still crying. "It's a comma. Lizzy's in a comma." Her body went weak and she fell into Milo's arms. He supported her and then led her to the room Nick had told him Lizzy was in. She ran to her daughter's hospital bed. "LIZZY! Wake up Lizzy. Wake up." She slid down the wall crying. Milo sat next to her and held her more. Lu was standing near the heartbeat monitor. Andy cried for awhile and then sat in the chair and stared at her daughter lying helplessly on the hospital bed. After a long pause she finally spoke in a hysterical but scary way. "It's all my fault." Milo looked at her. "Don't say that." "It's the truth." "No it's not." She looked at him. He was so handsome and loving, it made her cry again. "Yes, it is Milo. I was driving and talking on the phone and not paying attention to what the hell I was doing. I was the one who had asked her to unbuckle her seatbelt and look for a bunch of papers because they needed me here and I wanted to be prepared for everybody and I did this to her. I DID THIS TO HER." She held her hand out and pointed to Lizzy. "No. Andy, don't blame yourself." She didn't look at him so he forced her with his hands. "It's not your fault. It was an accident." She didn't respond, but just walked out of the room and outside to sit under a shade tree. After about thirty minutes of thinking out there, Lana walked up and sat down next to her. "You ok?" "No." They didn't talk much after that. It was too awkward. Milo walked out later and replaced Lana's spot because she had to go back to the desk. She rested her head on his chest. "Milo, do me a favor?" She turned to look at him. "Anything." "Call my parents and tell them. I'll call Les." "Ok." They walked back inside together after that. She sat at her desk and dialed her ex-husbands number. A women answered. "Hello?" "Hi, Is Les Campbell there?" "Umm.yes, may I ask who's calling?" "It's his ex-wife, Andy Campbell." The strange women handed him the phone and told him who it was. "Andy?!" He was shocked to here her calling him first. "Yeah, it's me." He tone was sad and dull. "Is there something wrong?" "Yes. Les, there was a car accident." "Are you ok?" "I just have a broken wrist." "So what's the matter?" "It's Lizzy." She tried not to cry again. "She didn't have a seatbelt on because she was in the backseat looking for something for me and now she's in a comma." "Oh my god. Lizzy?" He called her name like she could here him. "I'll be there on the next plane, Andy." "Ok. Bye." She hung up the phone and Milo walked in. "Did you call him?" She nodded. "And?" "He'll be here tonight." "Good. He's needs to be here." She stood up and gave him another hug. "Thank you for being here with me. I love you so much." "I love you to." He kissed the top of her forehead. They headed for Lizzy's room again. "Did you call my parents?" "Yes, they'll be here tonight to. Probably around 6 or so." "Thank you." She stopped and pecked him on the lips and then held his hand. They were sitting in the room, seeing if anything would happen. Lizzy was still in the comma and it had been about forty-five minutes since Andy had called Les. She looked at her watch and then turned to Milo. "Do me another favor?" She asked polity. "Yes?" "Jessie gets out of school in about 30 minutes, will you go pick her up from the school and bring her here?" "Of course." He kissed her goodbye and vanished out of the clinic leaving Andy there alone with Lizzy. She stood next to her. "I'm so sorry sweetie." She ran her fingers threw her hair. "I'm so sorry." A tear rolled down her cheek as Lu walked in the room to check up on things. "She's not awake yet." "Doesn't look like it." Lu responded to Andy's observation. They sat down next to the bed and chatted about things that didn't matter as much in life. Then Andy gasped after a long pause. "What is it?" Lu got worried. "I just realized something. Milo is going to meet my parents for the first time because they are coming for Lizzy." "The first time? You've been dating for over a year and they are just now meeting him?" "Well, they have been in Florida and we've been here. What do you expect? Them to rush up here as soon as I tell them I found myself a new boyfriend."  
  
"He's more then a boyfriend and you know it Andy." She smiled at her and looked at her ring again. She wondering how everything could be going so wonderful and then just fall apart in another department of her life. "Don't worry about it. They will be so concentrated on you and Lizzy and Jessie that they won't have a bunch of questions and third degrees for Milo." "Let's hope so." They laughed together but stopped because it was inappropriate for the situation. Milo walked in with Jessie a few minutes later. "Mom!" Jessie ran to Andy and embraced her in a hug and didn't let go. "It's ok sweetie." Jessie was crying also but Andy just couldn't anymore. She had to be strong for her children. And then she had to handle her parents and Les being there and Milo meeting everybody for the first time later but she wasn't about to show that she was worried to death and that she didn't know if everything was going to be ok.  
  
*****  
  
Me: Wow! Drama, drama, drama! Review my fans. And find out how well Andy's parents like Milo and if Lizzy will ever wake up in the next chapter. Sucks to be you! Because I already know what's gonna happen! Hahaha! Byebye! 


	7. Decision of a Lifetime

Me: Hey guys and gals! How y'all doin' today?!  
  
*Audience cheers.*  
  
Me: Well, Like I said in the last chappy, I'm getting sick of this whole prechap shit, so on with the second half of Child Tragedies. And beware of the headless chicken! (Don't ask!)  
  
*****  
  
Andy's parents arrived at 6:30 PM and they stayed the night at Andy's house, taking care of Jessie, even though she was old enough to take care of herself. Les also came that night and he stayed in Lizzy's hospital room all night with Andy and Milo. The next morning Andy woke up on the floor, her head resting on Milo's lap. Les had been sleeping in one of the chairs and was already awake.  
  
"Milo? Wake up." She shook Milo's body.  
  
"Hey." He said back to her sleepy. After awhile of just sitting and waking up they decided to go get some breakfast. Les drove to a restaurant near by, while Andy and Milo just ate in the cafeteria since they could because they worked there. After eating the not-so-good but healthy food, they started to walk back to Lizzy's room. They heard Lu shouting at some nurses and after a few seconds realized that she was screaming for Lizzy. Andy ran to the window that looked into Lizzy's room.  
  
"Lizzy!" Milo held her back so Lu could do her job without any disturbances. Lizzy's body strangled. It ripped through sheets and knocked over IVs and pulled out tubes. Andy shouted her name again and Les came running in when he heard her from the entrance to the clinic. Milo looked away because he couldn't stand to see it. Lizzy's body continued to thrash in different directions.  
  
"Grab the cart and jell the zaps!" Lu ordered one nurse. "Get the oxygen tank ready." She yelled at another. Lizzy's heartbeat rang solid. (There was no heartbeat in other words.) Lu snatched the zaps and said, "Ready, clear." She zapped Lizzy's little body and checked for a heartbeat again. It wasn't there. "Again, clear." She zapped it again and her heart ticked on the monitor but it wasn't steady. Her body was now limp and still breathing heavily. "Hook her up to the oxygen tank and we need to calm her heartbeat. The only thing I can think of is life support. Hook her up to it and we will have to monitor it through." Lu looked at Lizzy's limp body and a tear rolled down her cheek. Andy was hysterical outside. They all waited for Lu's diagnosis.  
  
"She's had a seizure, while in the comma. It's not looking too good for her Andy. If she lives, it will be a damn miracle."  
  
"What are you saying?" Les asked from behind her. Lu's eyes watered.  
  
"I'm saying that the chances of her living are very, very, very slim."  
  
"No. NO!" Andy slid down the wall taking Milo with her and buried her face in his chest. He started to cry with her. Les walked away to be by himself. Lana saw them all from her desk and tears rolled down her cheeks and Lu stood there crying also and watching all of it happen.  
  
"I'm so sorry Andy." She bent down and stroked her back. "Listen to me. I had to put her on life support to help control her heart. It might work, it might not. We're going to have to wait and see, but you and Les need to make the decision to." She hesitated. "To pull the plug if it doesn't." Andy cried even harder at her words. They sat there for awhile and cried together.  
  
Later that day Andy sat down in her office with Les. Both their faces were blood red from all the chaos but neither were crying anymore. Andy couldn't. Her glands just wouldn't produce the tears.  
  
"What are we going to do?" Les said after a long silence.  
  
"You should call your mother and tell her. She has a right to know." Les's father had been dead for about 6 years but his mother was still alive and kicking.  
  
"Yeah. You should call the house and inform everybody of what has happened."  
  
"I will. But I don't want them to come down here now. I want them to grieve at home and then when it comes down to the final decision, they can come. I just don't think I can handle it right now."  
  
Les looked at his feet. "Ok. I want to go see Jessie though so I guess I'll go there."  
  
"Whatever you want." She looked him in the eyes. "It's all my fault isn't it?"  
  
"No. It's not. It was an accident."  
  
"Then why do I feel like this?"  
  
"Because our daughter is an inch away from death." She took in his words. They hurt but she faced the pain. Les stood up.  
  
"Where are you going?"  
  
"I'm going to call my mom and once your done making your phone call I'm going to see my other, living, daughter." He walked out while grabbing his cell phone out of his pocket. Andy picked up the phone and dialed the house. Her mother answered and she told her what had happened and asked her to stay at the house until she called for more news, then she went back to Lizzy's hospital room and sat there watching her 11 year old daughter lay limp on the bed that Thursday morning.  
  
It was Sunday afternoon now and Andy was still sitting in Lizzy's hospital room waiting for a miracle. Les's mother had come Friday morning and was staying in the same hotel as Les was. Dr. Jackson walked in after Les went to see Jessie again and Milo was working.  
  
"Dr. Campbell."  
  
"Yeah." Andy looked depressed and sluggish.  
  
"How are you holding up?"  
  
"How do I look like I'm holding up Dr. Jackson?"  
  
"Not so good." He sat down next to her. "I'm so sorry Dr. Campbell."  
  
"Call me Andy."  
  
"I'm so sorry Andy." He corrected himself to make her happier but she didn't really care.  
  
"I don't know if I should kill her or not." He looked confused but then realized that she was talking about pulling the plug on Lizzy's life support. It hadn't been working good enough for her heart so her and Les were going to have to make that one decision that would change their lives forever. "Should I put her out of her misery or let her lie there like a vegetable and wait for the day when she'll finally go." Andy hadn't cried since Wednesday because she just couldn't do it until now. Tears rolled down her cheeks and she never took her eyes off of Lizzy. Not even to look at Rob while talking to him. He didn't say anything to her. He couldn't think of anything to say. "That's my daughter. And I killed her."  
  
"No you didn't. It was an accident. Why won't you believe that? Don't blame yourself Andy. It's not your fault." He reassured her.  
  
"I don't know why I think the way I do." She finally looked at him. "I don't know what I'm going to do Rob. I just don't know what I'm going to do without her." After sitting in silence for a few minutes Dr. Jackson said his good-bye's and walked out of the room and to Lu and Lana who were talking at Lana's desk.  
  
"No parent should have to bury their child." He shook his head with sympathy.  
  
"Isn't that the truth." Lana said back to him.  
  
"I'm going to go talk to her." Lu said while walking toward the room. She entered the room and Andy looked at her while wiping away the tears.  
  
"Hi Delgado."  
  
"Are you ever going to call me Lu?"  
  
"I don't know. Maybe." Nothing could make Andy laugh right now, so Lu stopped with the jokes.  
  
"I know this is a touchy subject Andy but you need to decide what you're going to do. Don't forget to make it with Les though.  
  
"I won't forget." She responded. Les walked in a couple of minutes later.  
  
"Hi everybody." He sounded depressed and sluggish also.  
  
"Hi. I was just talking to Andy about making a decision." Lu spoke to him softly.  
  
"Yes. We need to discuss that Andy." She nodded but didn't look at either of them. "What should we do? Pull the plug?" Andy didn't answer.  
  
"Why don't we give it another day?" Lu suggested. "One more chance to pray for a miracle."  
  
"Ok." Les said. They both left Andy alone in the room with Lizzy again. She walked over to her and stroked her hair. "I'm so sorry baby. I'm so sorry. I miss you so much." She started to cry again. "I miss you so much Lizzy. I want you to wake up for mommy. Wake up for me Lizzy. Live for me." She said to her unconscious daughter in between sobs. "I can't live without you baby girl. Wake up." There was no reply to Andy so she sat back down and cried herself into a nap.  
  
~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Mom." Lizzy stroked Andy's face. There were clouds all around them. Was it heaven? Andy didn't know for sure. "Mom. I've come to say goodbye. Take care of Jessie. Tell her that her younger sister loves her and tell Milo I'll miss his spaghetti and movies. Tell dad that I love him too and that I'll never forget him." Andy stared at her daughter's face. She was paler and was wearing her favorite outfit. "I love you Mom and don't be afraid to move on without me. I want you to live on. Tell Jessie to be careful. Tell her not to get in that car with that stranger a couple of years from now." Lizzy started to fade. "This is my fate. I'm not supposed to live past 11. I want to but I can't. I have to go Mom. I love you. Don't ever forget that. And don't blame yourself for what happened. It's not your fault, like I said it's fate...fate..fate..fate." Lizzy's voice echoed in Andy's ears as she started to disappear.  
  
"Lizzy!!! No Lizzy don't leave. Lizzy!" Andy yelled. Somebody's hand caressed her face and shook her slightly. Her eyes darted open and she sat up.  
  
"It was a dream." She told herself. "It was just a dream. But it seemed so real." Milo looked at his fiancée and was confused.  
  
"What did you dream about?" His voice startled her and she jumped out of her seat onto her feet but then relaxed when she saw it was just him.  
  
"It was Lizzy. She was saying goodbye to me." He looked surprised. "Where's Jessie? I have to tell her something before I forget it."  
  
"She's at home remember?"  
  
"Oh. I'll be right back." Andy ran to her office and called her house and talked to Jessie. She told her about the dream and gave her advice.  
  
"So Jessie, don't ever, and I'm not kidding around, don't ever get in a car with a stranger. I don't care the circumstances, don't. It was a warning. She saw the future and I believe it. So don't. Do you understand me?"  
  
"Yes Mom. I understand." After Andy hung up the phone she glanced at her watch. She had been asleep for four hours. It was now 9 PM and late. She was hungry. Milo took her to a near-by restaurant and they ate. Tomorrow they were going to decide what to do.  
  
The next morning Andy and Les sat down again and discussed what they were going to do. They both decided on pulling the plug. Andy didn't tell him about the dream, she just said that Lizzy loved him and he knew that already. Andy's parents came to the hospital with Jessie that afternoon to see Lizzy one last time. Before anything happened they took Milo aside and had a talk with them. He thought it was amazing that they even cared to get to know him at a time like this. Andy's mother, Sarah loved him but Andy's dad, Joe wasn't so sure. He said that he would have to get to know him even better after everything settled down again. Milo agreed with him, kind of disappointed but understanding. At 3 PM everybody stood in Lizzy's hospital room, most of them crying waiting for Lu to pull the plug.  
  
"You're sure about this?" She asked before she did anything. Les and Andy nodded while tears rolled down their faces. Andy grabbed Jessie and held her tightly as Milo stroked her back for comfort. Lu reached for the plug and pulled. Lizzy's heartbeat rang solid and Andy sank to the floor, Jessie still in her arms. Lu couldn't help but cry also.  
  
"Time of death, Elizabeth Campbell, 3:01 PM." Lu said. But right after she did the monitor started to beat steady again and Lizzy's eyes opened. Andy heard them and jumped up surprised.  
  
"Mommy." Lizzy said gently.  
  
"Oh my god." Lu said. She checked the monitor. "She's alive. And awake. Oh my god."  
  
"It's a miracle." Milo said while hugging Jessie and then Andy.  
  
"Lizzy!" Andy bent to hug her. Lizzy was still weak but her heart was healthy again.  
  
"Mom. I had a dream that I was saying goodbye to you and telling you to tell everyone that I loved them. And in the dream as I was fading away, two angels came to me and told me to go back and that it wasn't my time yet. One looked like Lu and the other looked like Grandpa Mitch." Andy's wide eyes stared at Jessie and Jessie stared back.  
  
"We had the same dream. Hers went on though, mine didn't because Milo woke me up. If he hadn't, she would have come back. She wasn't supposed to die." Nobody knew what she was talking about except for Jessie. "You're right Milo. It's a miracle." After everybody hugged Lizzy and she was ready to sit up and talk to people, Andy explained to everybody about her dream and that it was fate. Lizzy lived and everything was ok. That night, Lizzy stayed at the hospital for observations and Andy went home with Jessie. Andy's parents left Tuesday after Lizzy got home safely. Les stayed a few weeks and his mother went home Wednesday. Lizzy was all right and Andy was much happier.  
  
*****  
  
Me: Isn't that just peachy??!!!  
  
Audience: ^_^  
  
Me: Never mind, just review! 


	8. The Weekend Away and The Secret Admirer

Me: Chapter 11 is in da hizzouse!!!!!!! This chapter is just to get away from all the drama. As Maggie says "Time for some low key smut again." Just kidding. It's not that bad, but it's bad enough. NEWAYZ....I don't own any characters and I don't own the songs or poems. So on with the chapter. Luv ya everybody.  
  
*****  
  
Two months passed by quickly and Lizzy's healing process was almost over. Andy's arm was fine and she got her new car with the insurance money from the last one. Everything was back on track. Andy and Milo had set their wedding date for January 23rd and were in the process of planning all of it. They were sitting at the kitchen table at her house drinking coffee on a Friday night while Lizzy and Jessie were in the living room watching a DVD. They had been silent for a few minutes until Milo broke it.  
  
"How does a weekend away in the mountains sound to you?"  
  
"For what?"  
  
"Just some along, relaxing time together. You know, away from all the chaos and work and kids."  
  
Andy breathed heavily but happily and smiled at him. "That sounds so wonderful. When?"  
  
"How about August 15th?" She started to count the days on her fingers.  
  
"But that's next Friday" He nodded. "Uhh..let me sleep on it."  
  
"I wish I could help you." Andy laughed at his words.  
  
"Me too." They leaned into each other for a kiss and broke suddenly when Jessie made herself noticeable in the kitchen.  
  
"Sorry to interrupt. Milo, could you make us some more of your delicious homemade popcorn?" She pleaded with him and made a sad puppy face.  
  
"Now, how can I resist that face?" He stood up and took the empty bowl from her hands while kissing the top of her head.  
  
"Thank you Milo." Jessie smiled at him and went back to the living room, Lizzy was sitting on the couch waiting to restart the movie. "He's making it now, but don't start it until he brings it out here."  
  
"Ok." It was silent for awhile. "Jessie do you think mom and Milo will be together forever?"  
  
"I don't know. Why?" Jessie asked in that snotty teenager way.  
  
"Just wondering what you think about it. I hope they do." Jessie looked at her confused.  
  
"I'm sorry, but weren't you the one who pulled all those stunts to get dad back home?"  
  
"Yeah, I did do that. But it was a long time ago before my almost death experience and now I realize that mom is happier with Milo than she was with dad."  
  
"Mom was happy with dad at first Lizzy, then.." She paused and looked at her hands. "Then...I don't know. Things just changed when mom started getting those really good jobs and everything just fell apart over time."  
  
"Yeah. But I'm glad that she found someone new. She deserves it." Milo walked in the room behind them but stopped when he heard them talking about him. "I mean, Milo's really nice and I think, no, I know she looked around in midair thinking about it. Jessie rubbed her hair roughly so it tangled.  
  
"Why are you such a sappy twelve-year-old?!" They laughed and then Milo finally pretended to enter the room again and bring them the popcorn. Later that night Jessie and Lizzy went to bed leaving Milo and Andy along downstairs for awhile. They talked a little more about a weekend away.  
  
"I told you to let me sleep on it." Andy said breaking off his sentence.  
  
"Ok, ok. I will. But I'll need your answer soon so, if you do decide to go, then I can make the reservations." Andy lay down on his body and cuddled against it. "See. We'd be doing the same thing, just in a romantic lodge away from Philly."  
  
"Yes. That would be nice."  
  
"Mmm..hmm.. well, I should go now. It's getting late."  
  
"No." She squeezed his body tighter to hers.  
  
"Yes sweetie. Even though you don't have to work tomorrow, I do and I should stay to late anyway. Would want you to get sick of me."  
  
"That's impossible." She pecked his lips. "But you're right. I forgot that you have to work tomorrow. I'm sorry." She pecked him again and then she let him up to leave.  
  
On that Sunday Andy told Milo that she had thought it over and her answer was 'yes.'  
  
"Delgado?" Andy approached her.  
  
"How can I help ya Campbell?"  
  
"I need a favor." She led her into her office away from everybody.  
  
"What is it? Is something wrong?"  
  
"No. Nothing's wrong. I just need you to do something."  
  
"Ok. What is it?" Andy sat down and then motioned for Lu to do it to.  
  
"Milo and I are going away next weekend to a mountain lodge just to get away for awhile and I need someone to watch my girls."  
  
"I see. Andy-"  
  
"I know what you're going to say. And I've already thought of a plan. I know there's no room for two more teenagers in your apartment and I thought that you could stay at my house. You can have anything you need. I just need someone to watch them and Les's mother is to old now and busy and my parents are all the way in Florida."  
  
"I guess that would be fine. I don't mind." She stood up to leave.  
  
"Are you sure?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Thank you so much."  
  
"No problem." Lu left Andy's office to find Lana listening at the door. "You know, I would have told you anyway."  
  
"I know. I just felt like eavesdropping."  
  
"Whatever."  
  
Andy and Milo spent the next week getting ready for their little vacation. Lu came to the house on Friday afternoon with Marc and their bags. Andy and Milo had already loaded the car and were just waiting for her to come.  
  
"Ok girls. I'm off. Be good for Delgado please. If I get a bad report I won't be happy. And I'll check in when I get there." Andy hugged each child and then kissed their foreheads.  
  
"Mom, its only three days." Jessie struggled to break free from her mother's grasp. "We'll be fine. I won't hurt her to bad." After Andy let go, Jessie punched Lizzy's arm.  
  
"Ouch!" Lizzy punched her back.  
  
"Girls! Not now!"  
  
"Bye girls." Milo but in.  
  
"Bye." Lizzy hugged his waist because she was so much shorter then him. Jessie waved and the girls went back upstairs.  
  
"Help yourself to anything and thank you bunches Delgado."  
  
"Yeah thanks." Milo said.  
  
"Have fun." Marc said and then walked into the living room to investigate what he would be living in for the next three days.  
  
"Ok. Go. Get going. Leave. Bye." Andy and Milo walked outside the front door and halfway to the car. Lu called after them, "And don't be good!" Andy shot her a look and embarrassment and Milo laughed.  
  
"Oh we won't." He rapped his arm around her shoulders and made her laugh. They got in the car and headed for the mountains.  
  
After a long drive they arrived at the lodge and got out of the car.  
  
"Gosh, it's so beautiful up here." Andy felt the warm breeze against her bare skin.  
  
"Especially during summer and fall."  
  
"Oh, I bet." He grabbed her hand.  
  
"Come on, let's check in." They went in the lobby and got a cabin a little more up the mountain. The cabin was a medium size with one bedroom and a pull out couch was in it along with a king size bed and some dresser drawers with a TV on top. The bathroom was connected to it and the kitchen and living room were right by the door.  
  
"This is nice." She set her bags down on the bed and he did the same.  
  
"Yeah. Nice and cozy I guess you could say." He got closer to her and then rapped his muscular arms around her waist. Their lips met and there hands massaged.  
  
"Let the games begin." Andy said after they broke from making out. She jumped onto the bed while he put the bags on the floor. Milo laid himself on top of her body and kissed her again.  
  
Back at the house Lu was making dinner for everybody.  
  
"Oh. What are we having?" Jessie looked in the pan and smelled the contents.  
  
"Chicken pasta with French bread." Lu said while opening the oven to take the bread out.  
  
"Is it ready? Is it ready?" Lizzy came skipping in the kitchen carrying her plate.  
  
"Yep. Call Marc for me will ya?"  
  
"MARC!" Lizzy screamed at the top of her lungs.  
  
"Lizzy, if I wanted you to call him like that I would have done it myself." Lizzy shrugged and sat down at the table. Jessie and Lu got their plates and helped themselves to the food.  
  
"What about me?" Lizzy whined.  
  
"Honey, when I'm in charge, it's self-serve." Lu sassed her and served her a plate of chicken pasta anyway. "Where is that boy?"  
  
"MARC!" Lizzy yelled again and it made Jessie and Lu jump out of their seats.  
  
"Stop that girl!" Marc walked into the kitchen and got some food.  
  
"So what are we doing tomorrow?" Lizzy asked halfway through the meal.  
  
"Whatever you want." Lu smiled at her.  
  
"Really?!"  
  
"Yep. The whole day is ours."  
  
"Is it ok if I go to the movies and stuff with Bryan tomorrow?" Jessie asked politely.  
  
"What time?"  
  
"I don't know exactly but it'll be tomorrow night."  
  
"Ok. Just get me a time and be home at eleven."  
  
"But my curfew is midnight." Jessie complained.  
  
"Well it can continue to be midnight when your mother gets back but right now it's eleven."  
  
"Ok." She sighed.  
  
"So what do you want to do tomorrow Marc?" Lizzy asked him.  
  
"I have to work." And that was the end of that conversation.  
  
"So, Jessie, how long have you been dating Bryan?" Lu asked her.  
  
"Seven months in a week."  
  
"Dang. That's a pretty long relationship."  
  
"Yeah. It's great. He's so sweet Lu."  
  
"Whatever happened with that Derrek guy?"  
  
"I'll tell you about it later, when midget over her isn't around." She pointed to Lizzy. "But I did start to date Bryan about a month after Derrek."  
  
"That's cool. I wish I could have that."  
  
"You can. Believe me." Jessie reassured her.  
  
"Ok. I'm going to go back to what I was doing before and leave you girls to talk among yourselves." Marc put his plate in the dishwasher and left.  
  
At the cabin in the mountains, Andy and Milo were laying in bed already after hours of love making both slow and fast.  
  
"I need to call the girls."  
  
"Ok. Tell them I said hi." Andy got up and put her robe on and made the phone call. Lu answered and they talked about the evening while Milo went to get something to eat in the kitchen and the teenagers were watching TV in the living room. After Andy talked to Jessie and Lizzy she said 'Goodbye' and went to the kitchen to join Milo.  
  
"What are we eating?"  
  
"I say we order something and I'll go pick it up."  
  
"Ok." She said and went back to the phone and food menu. After they ate, Milo and Andy went back to bed.  
  
"So what should we do tomorrow?" She asked.  
  
"We could do anything. Hiking, swimming in the lake near here, anything. Or...we could do this." He kissed her lips and moved down her body suggesting that they make love again.  
  
"We'll just play it by ear." She said and told him yes to his suggestion but not with her words or voice but her hands and mouth.  
  
All day Saturday Jessie, Lizzy, and Lu went to everyplace you can think of. The movies, shopping, inner-city events, everything. Andy and Milo woke up, ate and then decided to go hiking. Halfway up the mountain they stopped and had a picnic under the shade of some trees.  
  
"This is so much fun." She said.  
  
"Yeah. It's beautiful up here. I've always loved it."  
  
"You've been here before?"  
  
"Yes. How do you think I know my way around so much? And why do you think that I didn't want a guide on this hike?"  
  
"I don't know. I just figured you haven't come here before."  
  
"Well I have, once or twice." He put down his sandwich and grabbed her hand. "Come on. I want to show you something." They got up, leaving their belongings there.  
  
"Where are we going?" She laughed at him. Milo held back branches and stepped on twigs for her to walk through. After a few minutes of walking they approached the destination. Andy walked through the last set of branches and was amazed at the sight. They were at the edge of the mountain where they could see all the other ones. The color of it was different shades of green.  
  
"Wow." She mumbled. Milo reached his arms around her and looked at her amazed face. "It's gorgeous." They stayed up there for awhile and then headed back down the mountain to finish their day of fun.  
  
"What should we do now?" Andy asked.  
  
"Feel like canoeing?"  
  
"Canoeing?"  
  
"Yeah, canoeing."  
  
"Ok. I suppose you've done this to." He nodded and they went back to their cabin to get ready to canoe.  
  
Back in Philly, Lu, Jessie, and Lizzy had just seen a movie.  
  
"Girls, would you mind if I went to Rittenhouse real quick to check on things?"  
  
"I guess not." Lizzy said.  
  
"Ooooh!! Can I drive?!" Jessie pleaded. "Please? I've always wanted to drive your car." Lu hesitated but handed over the keys. "Yes! Thanks Lu." After the dangerous drive, Lu grabbed the keys from Jessie and walked into Rittenhouse, just thanking god that she was alive.  
  
"Hey Lana, what's up?"  
  
"Oh just the regular. You know, dying people wanted me to answer all their questions." Lu laughed at her friend.  
  
"Do I have any messages?"  
  
"Just one from Dr. Jackson I'm afraid. He needs you to come in tomorrow for a ten hour shift."  
  
"What?!"  
  
"That's what he said."  
  
"Wait a minute, no! I'm supposed to have the whole weekend off. I had planned to spend the whole weekend with Andy's girls."  
  
"I'm sorry and I know you did but he's the boss, not me." Lana told her friend sadly.  
  
"Fine. Then I'll just take it up with the boss." She stormed off heading for Dr. Jackson's office. Five minutes later she stormed out.  
  
"What happened?" Lana asked.  
  
"He says it's urgent and I have no choice." She sighed. "I guess I'll just have to get Corrina to watch them until Andy gets home tomorrow night." Lu left the clinic and broke the bad news to the girls.  
  
Andy and Milo paddled their way up the river and she wondered where it would take them. The sun beat down on their bodies making them overly hot.  
  
"Let's take a swim." He suggested and Andy make a face at the water. "There's nothing in there. I've been in it. It's nice." They took off their life vests and dove in. Andy grabbed a hold of him and supported herself. They laughed together and splashed around playing. She dunked him and he didn't come back up. He disappeared.  
  
"Milo?!" She searched around in the water. He popped up behind the canoe so she couldn't see him. "MILO?!" She screamed his name in panic. He went back under and grabbed her around her waist under the water, which made her scream even more. "Don't ever do that again! You big jerk!"  
  
"Haha. I thought it was funny."  
  
"Well, you scared me!"  
  
"I'm sorry sweetie." He kissed her forehead and held her wet body in his arms.  
  
"It's fine. Just don't do it again."  
  
"I won't. I promise."  
  
"Why don't we start heading back?"  
  
"No. We can't. There something you haven't seen yet."  
  
"What is it?" Andy asked.  
  
"You'll see, we just have to go a little further up the river."  
  
"Ok." She sighed and they left themselves into the canoe and started paddling again.  
  
Lu drove the rest of the day while Jessie pouted.  
  
"Anyway, what time are you going out tonight Jess?"  
  
"Seven."  
  
"And your curfew is?"  
  
"Eleven."  
  
"Good, you remembered."  
  
"Where is Marc going to college?" Jessie asked after a moment of silence.  
  
"He doesn't know so he's taking a year off to save some money and stuff."  
  
"That's cool. Why did he come to our house with you? He's nineteen, can't he take care of himself?"  
  
"Yes. He can. I just don't get to see him anymore and I guess I'm an overly protective mother. Especially after all that's happened in my life."  
  
"Oh." Lizzy was quiet in the backseat.  
  
"So, what do you guys want to do now? Let's see it's about 3:30. What time do you need to be home to get ready Jess?"  
  
"Five."  
  
"Ok. We have an hour and a half. Any suggestions?"  
  
"How about the mall?" Lizzy jumped in excitement.  
  
"That's fine with me. Lizzy you can play in the arcade while Jessie and I talk over Starbucks. How does that sound?"  
  
"Good to me." Jessie said.  
  
Andy and Milo reached the place he was talking about. It was a gorgeous but small waterfall off a cliff on to the river.  
  
"Oh my gosh." She was amazed again. "I'm loving this trip Milo."  
  
"I told you that you would." He jumped in the shallow water and tied the canoe to the nearest rock. Andy hopped out also and walked around the falling water to be behind it.  
  
"Wow." He followed her.  
  
"Yeah. Great isn't it." She nodded and sat down on one of the giant rocks. He moved in front of her and started kissing her neck.  
  
"Milo. Here?" She questioned him like he was crazy.  
  
"Why not? It's romantic and daring." His lips continued to suck on her wet skin and she moaned and giggled because it tickled. The water splashed on them from hitting the surface and he slid her body down in the water. Milo slowly removed her bathing suit and she did the same with his. The sounds of their surroundings filled her ears as Milo kissed and massaged her body.  
  
"Oh Milo." She murmured as he kissed the inside of her thighs. Her body went limp after he was done and then she returned the favor. After awhile of foreplay they started what was known as the best part. After forty-five minutes of shifting positions and splashing in the waterfall they released each other. Both were breathing heavily and were limp. They were standing under the waterfall when this happened and he could hear her moaning and could fell her breath on his neck. After twenty minutes of relaxing in the water they got their bathing suits back on and canoed back tot he lobby and then went to their cabin to take a shower together.  
  
It was about five o'clock when Lu pulled the car up to the house. Jessie hopped out along with Lizzy as Lu turned it off and got out herself. In the house, Lizzy watched TV and Jessie got in the shower. Lu walked to the computer to check her mail .She had five new messages. Three of them were from the Rittenhouse news bulletin. The fourth one was from Lana saying that there was a delivery of roses at the hospital for her. She wrote back asking if there was a card. And then the fifth one was from an unknown email address. The email contained a poem:  
  
I've Been Thinking About You  
  
We've known each other  
  
For a long, long time  
  
But I never really noticed  
  
All the magic in your eyes  
  
I've been around you  
  
A thousand times before  
  
And you've always been a friend to me  
  
But now I'm wanting more  
  
I must have been so blind  
  
I never realized  
  
You're the one that's right for me  
  
All the while I couldn't see  
  
And now I feel so strange  
  
I'll never be the same  
  
Going round' and round' in circles  
  
And I don't know what to do  
  
Cause baby  
  
I've been thinking about you  
  
In the most peculiar way  
  
I've been thinking about you  
  
It's unbelievable to me  
  
But suddenly I think  
  
I'm falling in love with you  
  
There's no explaining how I feel inside  
  
I'm going through a transformation  
  
That's so hard for me to hide  
  
I had a revelation that  
  
Finally opened up my eyes  
  
The one I spent a lifetime searching for  
  
Was right here all the time  
  
I was oblivious so very out of touch  
  
All the while I couldn't see  
  
You're the one that's right for me  
  
And now my world has changed  
  
I'll never be the same  
  
Going round' and round' in circles  
  
And it's all because of you  
  
Sweet baby  
  
I've been thinking about you  
  
In the most peculiar way  
  
I've been thinking about you  
  
It's unbelievable to me  
  
Suddenly I think  
  
I'm falling in love with you  
  
Don't you know  
  
That you're blowing my mind  
  
What you do to me  
  
I can't describe  
  
Baby I can't hold back anymore  
  
I just can't conceal it  
  
You're the one I really adore  
  
I've been thinking about you  
  
In the most peculiar way  
  
I've been thinking about you  
  
In the most peculiar way  
  
I've been thinking about you  
  
It's unbelievable to me  
  
But suddenly I think  
  
I'm falling in love with you  
  
I've been thinking about you  
  
In the most peculiar way  
  
I've been thinking about you  
  
It's unbelievable to me  
  
But suddenly I think  
  
I'm falling in love with you  
  
In the most peculiar way  
  
I've been thinking about you  
  
It's unbelievable to me  
  
But suddenly I think  
  
I'm falling in love with you  
  
Lu's mouth dropped to the floor. It was signed anonymous and it wouldn't let her send an email back. Lu's gaze was broken when Jessie's hairdryer clicked on in the background. She saved the email and then signed out of the email program. Later that day Lana called.  
  
"I got your email. The roses did have a card on them."  
  
"Well, what does it say?"  
  
Lana picked up the card and read it aloud. "I finally realize that you were there the whole time .I should have opened my eyes sooner. Luisa Delgado, I'm falling in love with you."  
  
"Oh. Whoever this is sent me on email saying the same thing but it was in the form of a poem.  
  
"Wow. Lu honey, I think you got yourself a secret admirer."  
  
Andy and Milo finished their day with a romantic candle lit dinner on the cabin porch. They listened to Kelly Clarkson's soulful words as they ate and talked.  
  
"This was a good idea." Andy said.  
  
"Yeah. I'm having a lot of fun."  
  
'Ooooh..wait for an angel, to come in the night, and turn some sweet light on me, then you came down, you turned it around. Baby, you, your some kind of miracle, oh baby you, you are, you're a miracle to me.'  
  
"So what time do you want to head back home tomorrow?" He asked.  
  
"I don't know. We'll see how long it takes to get up and get packed and stuff."  
  
'Sweet revelations, that look in your eye, your touch in the night, I find the sweetest salvation, in your arms baby, oh there's no wanting some you tender love, come and just lifted me up, look what you've done, oh baby you are some kind of miracle, oh you are, you're a miracle to me.'  
  
They continued their conversation as Kelly's voice rang on. After that one song went off Milo asked Andy to dance to 'A Moment Like This'.  
  
' What if I told you, it was all meant to be, would you believe me, would believe, it's almost that feelin', we met before, so tell me that you don't think I'm crazy, when I tell ya love has come here and now, a moment like this, some people wait a lifetime, for a moment like this, some people search forever, for that one special kiss, oh I can't believe it's happening to me, some people wait a lifetime for a moment like this.'  
  
They swayed in each other's arms never letting go. Andy smelt the scent of his body and he ran his fingers through her hair.  
  
'Everything changes, but beauty remains, something so tender, I can't explain, well I may be dreamin, but till I awake, can't we make this dream last forever, and I'll cherish all the love we share, a moment like this, some people wait a lifetime, for a moment like this, some people search forever, for that one special kiss, oh I can't believe it's happening to me, some people wait a lifetime, for a moment like this, could this be the greatest love of all, I wanna know that you will catch me when I fall, so let me tell you this, some people wait a lifetime, for a moment like this, some people wait a lifetime, for a moment like this, some people search forever, for that one special kiss, oh I can't believe it's happening to me, some people wait a lifetime, for a moment like this, oh like this, oh I can't believe it's happening to me, some people wait a lifetime, for a moment like this.'  
  
On her last lyrics Andy and Milo kissed. "I love you Milo." She said.  
  
"I love you to Andy."  
  
*****  
  
Me: Ok, told ya that this chappy would be romantic and a low key smut kind of thing. I hope ya liked it and please review my loyal fans. Oh, and thanks for waiting so long for me to update. School is really crampin my style and stuff. See ya later! 


	9. The Inspector

Me: Hey guys. The last chapter was a little typoed! I umm.well I was really tired and it took me 3 hours to type it so I might have, no I defiantly did mess up on some of my typing then. And I was too tired to read over the chapter on Word and correct my mistakes, sorry. The last chapter was low key, no drama really. I'm not sure if you'll see who the secret admirer is in this chapter, maybe, you'll have to read and find out. I need someone to do the disclaimer.  
  
Fancy Announcer Guy (FAG)*That one's for Crazy*: Special doesn't own any characters except Dr. Alan Mitchelson and Dr. Jim Lawk.  
  
Me: Thank you FAG! Anyway, on with the story and you'll see who those people are when you read on.  
  
*****  
  
It was a week after Andy and Milo's romantic vacation to the mountains and Lu's wonderful weekend with Andy's girls, Jessie and Lizzy. Andy was making her way out to the outer cafeteria to get some more coffee when she spotted Lu, Peter, and Lana talking at a table. She decided to walk over to them.  
  
"Hi everybody."  
  
"Oh, hey Dr. Campbell. Have a seat. Join us." Lana requested. Andy did what Lana told her to do and they chatted for awhile.  
  
"So, Lu, you were saying?" Peter restarted the conversation.  
  
"Oh yeah, I was saying that this guy sends me an email with this long wonderful beautiful romantic lovely poem along with two dozen red roses! And I have no clue who he is!"  
  
"What? Did I miss something?" Andy asked surprised.  
  
"It was while you were away in the mountains with Milo. The poem was so sweet. It basically said that this person, whoever it may be, has known me for a long time and that they just realized that they well..that they are falling in love with me."  
  
"Whoa." Andy said. "That's intense."  
  
"You're telling me. Imagine how I felt when I read the email for the first time. I want to know who it is."  
  
Peter smiled at Lu but the only one who caught it was Andy. 'He's up to something.' She thought but put it in the back of her mind and returned to Lu. After a few more minutes of talking a familiar voice came on the intercom and they all recognized it as Dr. Jackson's.  
  
"Will all Rittenhouse Women's Health Clinic staff please report to the conference room. I repeat. Will all Rittenhouse Women's Health Clinic staff please report to the conference room immediately. Thank you."  
  
"Great, another meeting. Wonder what it's about this time." Lana mentioned sarcastically while they were all leaving for the conference room.  
  
Dr. Jackson waited politely while everybody gathered around him into the chairs inside the small room. Andy sat next to Lu and Lana because Milo was sitting in the back and there were no more chairs around him.  
  
"Ok. Let me have your attention everyone." It got silent as he spoke. "It's that time of year again I'm afraid. Inspection time. Most of you have done this before at Rittenhouse but some of you haven't so I will go through the procedure with you. There will be two men all together who are coming to Rittenhouse next Monday." Some people went wide-eyed and he noted on it. "Yes that's right. Today is Thursday. Which means that you have four days to prepare for them. Dr. Jim Lawk will be inspecting last names A through L and Dr. Alan Mitchelson will be inspecting L through Z. Now, I want you to be the best you can be. I know that this is going to put some of you under a great deal of pressure because well, your jobs are in these men's hands right now. Do your best.don't disappoint me people. That about sums it up. If you have any questions just come to my office and I'll talk to you about it. Thank you. Now get back to work." He dismissed them. Andy walked out with Lana and Lu.  
  
"Well I don't want to do this." Andy commented.  
  
"Why not? It's just an inspection." Lu asked.  
  
"Let's just say that I know Dr. Jim Lawk, and he's not the nicest person in the world." With that said Andy walked back to her office to get to work.  
  
Later in the day Milo made his way down the elevator to the floor that Andy worked on. Since she was in with a patient he decided to talk to Lana until she was done.  
  
"So how's everything going?" She asked.  
  
"Good. How's everything with you?"  
  
"Fine." She responded while typing up files on the computer in front of her.  
  
'This conversations basically shot.' He thought while turning around to see if Andy was done yet. 'No such luck.'  
  
"So how are the wedding plans going Dr. Morton?"  
  
"Well, I don't really know. All we've done is set a date and size and things. That's what I wanted to talk to her about now."  
  
"Oh well. Dr. Campbell should be done soon. To tell you the truth." She looked up at him and whispered. "I think this new patient of hers is a hypochondriac. There doesn't seem to be anything wrong with her ever but she's come in here so many times seeking medical attention."  
  
"Is that so?"  
  
"Yep." She went back to her computer.  
  
"So, how are the classes going?"  
  
"Good. I have about one and a half more years until I get my degree in Therapy. I was thinking. When I'm done with college and I do have my degree, maybe I could start working in the Therapy department here. I mean, I love this place and I don't want to leave it so maybe I could convince Dr. Jackson to hire me as a therapist."  
  
"Sounds like a plan." He smiled at her and noticed that Andy's patient was leaving. 'Finally.' He thought. Andy greeted him with a smile and once they were back inside her office she greeted him again with a kiss. He wrapped his big arms around her body and hugged her. "How are you today?"  
  
"Fine." She said plainly.  
  
"Is something wrong?"  
  
"Not really. It's just his inspection thing."  
  
"You've done this before and last year it was no problem." He stated.  
  
"Yeah. But last year I wasn't being inspected by Jim Lawk."  
  
"How do you know Jim Lawk?"  
  
"Afghanistan." They sat down on the couch and she laid her head on this shoulder. He heard a deep sigh come from her.  
  
"It'll be ok." He kissed her again and she snuggled against him more. "I wanted to talk to you about the wedding."  
  
"What about it?"  
  
"Well, Andy we really haven't discussed it that much and it's almost September. That only gives us five more months to plan everything. And you and I both know that it takes a long time to plan a wedding."  
  
"Yeah. I know. Let's see." She sat up and shifted to talk to him better. "We set the date for January 23rd and we decided on a medium size with just friends and family. And..well that's all."  
  
"Exactly."  
  
"I see your point." She placed her head in her hands and sighed again. "Should we get together tomorrow and plan some more. Because we obviously can't do it right now considering I have another patient in about five minutes."  
  
"Yeah that would be fine. Just come to my apartment tomorrow night and we'll talk over dinner and some wine and music." He started to get closer to her to snuggle again.  
  
"Sounds good." She leaned into his face to kiss him and he responded gladly.  
  
The next day Andy spent the entire time thinking of what colors she should pick for her wedding. When Lu came in her office to chat for awhile she brought the subject up.  
  
"What colors do you think I should wear?"  
  
"Well I think red goes great with your hair and eyes. What for?"  
  
"Umm..my wedding Delgado. And I'm not wearing red."  
  
"Oh, sorry. Didn't know what you were talking about." She sat down on the couch while Andy looked in her mirror that was inside her cabinet. "Umm.I don't know. White?"  
  
"You're not supposed to wear White if it's your second wedding." Andy closed the cabinet and sat down across from her in a chair.  
  
"Sorry, I'm not really good at this Andy. I mean, I haven't even had a first wedding."  
  
"Yeah. I was thinking cream."  
  
"Wouldn't that be consider white?"  
  
"I don't think so."  
  
"What about blue?"  
  
"It's a possibility." Andy shrugged.  
  
"How much have you and Milo planned?"  
  
"Not much. That's why he wants to get together tonight to talk about it." Lu nodded. "So, anything new from this secret admirer?"  
  
"Actually yes. They sent me another letter."  
  
"An email?"  
  
"No, an actual letter. It was on my desk in my office this morning. Lana said she didn't see who went in there this morning."  
  
"What did it say?" Andy asked.  
  
"Basically the same thing as the poem in the email. That he's known me for a long time and that he's just now realized how he feels."  
  
"How do you know it's a he?" Lu went wide-eyed.  
  
"I don't." Andy smirked and laughed at her. "That's not funny! What if it is a women? Gross. I hope it's a man."  
  
"It probably is." Andy reassured her.  
  
That night Andy went to Milo's apartment for dinner and some wine and music. He always knew how to romance her. When she got there the lights were low and there was soft instrumental music playing. Milo took her purse from her hands and set it on the floor next to them. Then he pulled her into the living room and started to dance with her in his arms. She laughed at his jokes and it wasn't until later that night that they actually started to talk about the wedding.  
  
"So, what colors did you pick out for your dress and bride's maids and stuff?" He asked.  
  
"Well, first of all, I'm not wearing a normal wedding dress. I want to were something not as noticeable. You know, nothing poofy like an actual wedding dress but a dress that's straight cut. Like this one." She pulled out a drawing from her purse.  
  
"That's good. I like it. What color?"  
  
"That was a harder decision then I thought it would be." They were sitting on the couch but Andy couldn't get comfortable so she slid to the floor and put her legs under the coffee table and Milo did the same. "I was thinking cream. Or light blue."  
  
"I like light blue. Maybe even Lavender."  
  
"Then what color would I chose for the bride's maids?" He thought for a moment.  
  
"I know. Your dress could be light blue and the bride's maids can be a darker blue."  
  
"I like that."  
  
"I thought you would. Plus, blue looks really good with your eyes."  
  
"Thank you." She said while smiling at him. Milo pulled out a notebook with some paper in it.  
  
"I'm a very organized person Andy. So we are going to write down our plans and keep them in this notebook."  
  
"I know you are." She kissed his cheek and told him to write down what they had decided. Through the rest of the night they decided that Milo's tux was going to be black, along with his best men and that they didn't want to have it in a church but in a nice hotel in Philly.  
  
On Monday Andy was preparing for her inspector to come. Dr. Jim Lawk wasn't on Andy's best friend list but she wasn't going to let that get in the way of her job. She never did before and she wasn't going to now. Dr. Nick Biancavilla was the first one that Andy knew that was being inspected by the same guy. She decided to go and talk to him about it.  
  
"Biancavilla?" She knocked on his office door.  
  
"Oh, what can I do for you Dr. Campbell?"  
  
"I was wondering. Have you been inspected yet?" He nodded. "Well, can you tell me what Dr. Jim Lawk was like?"  
  
"Umm.he seemed nice. Said I did good work. Didn't talk much, just wrote in a little notebook. Why? Are you worried about your inspection or something?"  
  
"Well, It's a little complicated. I know Jim Lawk. He was on the tour in Afghanistan with me and let's just say we weren't the best of friends." She stood up. "Well, that's really all I wanted. I have to go. Bye." He waved and she left to go back to her office. When she walked towards the door Lana cleared her throat to get her attention.  
  
"Hawkins, is there something you wanted?"  
  
"He's in there." Andy got wide-eyed.  
  
"Now! I'm late." She hurried in the direction of her office but stopped at the door and looked back at Lana. Lana gave her a look of encouragement and Andy sighed before walking in.  
  
"Sorry if I've kept you waiting Dr. Lawk. I lost track of time talking to a colleague of mine."  
  
"Dr. Campbell. Long time no see." He stood up and shook her hand. She smiled politely and sat down at her desk. "How have you been these past few years?"  
  
"Fine. And yourself?" They pretended to like each other but they both knew that that would never happen.  
  
"Good, good. As you know, I'm here to inspect your work." Andy nodded. "I'll be watching you in the ER later on in the day along with some other of your doctor friends. And I'll be asking you a few questions right now."  
  
"All right."  
  
"But first, why don't we catch up."  
  
"There's nothing to catch up on." Andy said harshly.  
  
"What do you mean, nothing? How is Les?"  
  
"I wouldn't know. I haven't talked to him in a couple of months why?"  
  
"A couple of months? Did something happen between you two?"  
  
"Umm. Dr. Lawk-"  
  
"Call me Jim." He interrupted.  
  
"Dr. Lawk, I don't see how any of this has to do with my inspection."  
  
"It doesn't. I'm just seeing how things are."  
  
"If you're really that interested fine. Les and I are divorced. Ok?"  
  
"What happened?"  
  
"Why do you care?" Andy asked begging him to stop.  
  
"I don't know. Maybe we could talk over coffee." He stood up and walked around her desk so he was behind her. "You know, Andy I've always thought you and I had chemistry between us." He put his hand on her shoulder. "I always wanted you to leave Les for me. Now that your free." He bent down in her face and his lips got close to hers. "You can be mine." She slid her chair to the left away from him and scrambled out of it.  
  
"I don't think so." She walked around to the door to be away from him.  
  
"I do." He walked to her.  
  
"No." She put her hand up to stop him.  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Because, I'm taken and even if I wasn't I wouldn't even think about being with you. You treated me like the scum of the earth when I worked with you on the tour and you treated Les like the husband of the scum of the earth."  
  
"But he's not your husband anymore."  
  
"What do you not understand about what I just said?!" She walked back around to her desk to be away from him again. "I'm taken Dr. Lawk."  
  
"I told you to call me Jim."  
  
"I don't want to call you Jim because I don't feel that it's appropriate. You're here to inspect my work, not my body."  
  
"What if I want to do both?"  
  
"I'm not letting you do both." She told him harshly. "Now please leave."  
  
"I'll let you think about this sugar." He cornered her behind her desk and pinned her to the wall. His face was inches away from hers. He placed his hands on her hips and look up and down her body.  
  
"Get your hands off of me." She said in a tone that he found sexy and daring. He took his hands off but kissed her lips instead. She fought it with her hands and her screaming. He continued to pin her to the wall with his arms and kiss her neck. She couldn't break away from him so she raised her voice instead so somebody would hear her. "GET OFF OF ME!" Lana, Lu, and Peter were standing at Lana's desk outside Andy's office but all three were to busy concentrating on something else to hear her cries for help. He cupped his hand over her mouth.  
  
"Shhh..somebody will hear you Andy." He continued to kiss down her chest. She couldn't think of what to do and he was blocking her air supply. She found herself getting dizzy but she raised her leg into his stomach and he let go of her. She was able to get his body away from his grasp. "Like I said, I'll let you think about this." He walked around her, holding his stomach and then out the door of her office. After a few seconds he was gone and Andy slid down the wall of her office, tears rolling down her face. Lu, Lana, and Peter saw the man leave in pain and with lipstick on his lips so they decided to check it out. When they found Andy, she was still sitting in the corner on the floor of her office. She had stopped crying but was pissed as hell. After awhile she told them what happened.  
  
"I'll call Milo!" Lana said.  
  
"No. Don't." Andy said while breathing heavily. "It'll just make it worse."  
  
"I'm going after him." Peter said angrily. He hated men like that. Men who thought that they could take advantage of innocent women.  
  
"No Riggs. He's dangerous and powerful. Don't. It's my problem. I'll deal with it myself." She stood up and wiped the last tears off of her face.  
  
"You're going to have to tell Milo Andy. This guy groped you. He hurt you and you didn't deserve that. No one does. Believe me. I've been there before. It's not good to keep it all inside." Lu said.  
  
"I'll tell him. And I'm going to report Dr. Jim Lawks to Dr. Jackson now before he gets to him first." She stormed out of her office away from her friends who were trying to calm her down and to Dr. Jackson's office.  
  
"Dr. Campbell, what-" He noticed her face was blood read and her shirt was twisted and she had been crying. "What's wrong?"  
  
"Rob, Dr. Lawk.... just.... groped me in my office....while inspecting me."  
  
"That's crazy!" He stood up and walked over to her.  
  
"It's the truth." She explained to him what happened. After hesitation Dr. Jackson spoke up.  
  
"Well, what do you want me to do about it Andy. There's nothing I can do. I can't fire him. I didn't hire him in the first place."  
  
"Report him!" She said, amazed that her boss could stand there and not do anything.  
  
"To who?"  
  
"To his boss. I don't know. I don't care. Just get him out of here."  
  
"How do you purpose I do that Dr. Campbell?"  
  
"I don't know. But if you don't I won't be around for an inspection." She stormed out of his office regretting what she just said to him. Andy went back to her office and Lu was still in there waiting for her to return.  
  
"What happened?" She asked while standing as soon as Andy came in.  
  
"I think I just quit." Andy was so confused.  
  
"WHAT?!"  
  
"I told him that if he didn't get rid of Dr. Lawk then I was leaving. I can't believe I told him that and I don't want to leave Delgado. Believe me, I love Rittenhouse and I don't want to quit but I will if I have to. Dr. Lawk isn't going to give me a good inspection after what happened. So why be fired, when you can just quit?" Andy took off her white lab coat and got her briefcase.  
  
"Where are you going?"  
  
"Home. I'm not staying here right now."  
  
"You can't just walk away from this Andy."  
  
"Watch me." She left the clinic furious. Lu was stunned so she decided to go to Dr. Jackson herself. When she got there he was talking to Dr. Lawk. She turned to walk away but stayed and eaves dropped on them.  
  
"I don't have any idea what you're talking about Dr. Jackson. I'm here to inspect your doctors not...well you know."  
  
"Is it true that you knew Dr. Campbell before today?"  
  
"Yes. We were friends on the tour in Afghanistan."  
  
"She doesn't seem to think the same thing."  
  
"Well, she must be mistaken."  
  
"Listen, Dr. Lawk, these are my doctors and my clinic and I don't let scum come in here to hurt them. I have only seen Dr. Campbell cry in my presence once and that was when her daughter was on her deathbed. I don't like you and I believe my employee, not you. Get out of this clinic. Even though I might lose my job over it, I'm reporting you to the head department of inspections. You might want to start looking for a new employment because you're going to need one after I'm done with you. Now get out." Lu heard his words and was shocked that he would stick up for Andy like that. She ran around the corner so that Dr. Lawk and Dr. Jackson wouldn't see her there.  
  
At home Andy had a chance to think things through. She couldn't quit her job and she knew that before she even said anything to Dr. Jackson. The phone rang and it was Lu. She told her what happened and Andy came back to work the next morning. There was a new inspector there to complete Dr. Lawks job. Dr. Jackson said that Andy didn't have to be inspected this year and that he already knew that she was one of his best. Andy never told Milo what had happened and she didn't plan to. He showed up in her office that day.  
  
"Why did you tell me about Dr. Lawk Andy?" He asked angrily but sympathetically.  
  
"Who told you?"  
  
"Not you, that's for sure." She got up and walked over to him.  
  
"I'm sorry I didn't tell you."  
  
"Me too." He wrapped his arms around her. They both liked it when he did this. "Don't shut me out again Andy."  
  
"I won't." She promised.  
  
That night Lu received another letter from her secret admirer. She read it aloud to Lana.  
  
"So, if you want to know who I am, meet me in the cafeteria tomorrow for lunch at noon. Exactly noon. I will be waiting."  
  
*****  
  
Me: OH! Cliffhanger. Romantic cliffhanger. Haha..looks like you guys will just have to wait until Chapter 13 to find out who it is.  
  
Fancy Announcer Guy (FAG): That was a good one Special.  
  
Me: What the hell are you doing in my after chapter FAG??!  
  
FAG: Don't call me a FAG!  
  
Me: That's your name dumbass. ~Rolls eyes~ Anyway, I'll catch ya on da flipside homies. Review please!!! 


	10. Surprise, Surprise

Me: Hey everybody. Chapter 13 is here! Ok, I don't want to keep anybody waiting so I'll make this a quick one. I don't own any characters from Strong Medicine, lifetime does I believe. Now that that is done, on with the story.  
  
*****  
  
Andy was at home with her daughters in the kitchen that night and Lizzy was helping her prepare dinner for them. Andy hadn't mention what had happened to her at work. She thought it would scare them. They already had a practically dead-beat dad who just sent them money and expensive gifts on holidays and who hit their mother because of his anger management problems. She didn't want to burden them with more of her problems. Jessie entered the kitchen from the living room.  
  
"I'm going to go get ready for the concert. Call me when dinners ready."  
  
"That would be pointless Jessie." Andy said while looking at the pan full of noodles mixed with chicken and cream.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Getting ready for a concert that you are not attending would be pointless."  
  
"Why aren't I going?" Jessie questioned her mother as if she were a doctor herself.  
  
"Because you're just not." Andy finally looked her in the face.  
  
"Why?" She began to raise her voice. "Do you have any idea how long it took me to get those tickets and how long it took me to convince my friends to come along?"  
  
"I don't care. You're not going." Lizzy looked back and forth from her sister to her mother and felt the anger and tension between the two.  
  
"Mom!" Jessie stomped her foot and glared at her mother.  
  
"Yes?" Andy sounded calm but she really wasn't. She still hadn't totally gotten over what had happened to her at work and wasn't about to let her daughter go to a music concert full of dangerous people.  
  
"You can't stop me from going?"  
  
"What makes you think that?"  
  
"Because I'm almost eighteen and..."  
  
"And what?" Jessie just glared even harder at the mother and didn't respond. "Listen, I just don't think it's a good idea. Not right now anyway. You can go to some other concert later in life. Missing this one won't hurt you."  
  
"Yeah it will. It will hurt my social life. This is the concert of the year mom. Everybody at school goes to this concert even if they don't like the band and Bryan really wants me to go."  
  
"He'll understand." Andy turned off the burner and started placing dinner on the three plates. "Now, shall we eat?"  
  
"I'm not hungry." Jessie stated harshly and stomped upstairs. Andy paused and poured one plate back into the pan.  
  
"Guess it's just you and me." Lizzy said and they sat down and ate.  
  
The next morning, which was a Sunday, Jessie didn't come out of her room for breakfast. When Corrina arrived Andy told her to check on Jessie once in awhile and she apologized in advance if Jessie said anything rude to her throughout the day. At work, Lu waited impatiently for noon to arrive. She looked at her watch.  
  
"It's only 9:30. I have two and a half more hours Lana. How am I going to pass that time?"  
  
"Umm..perhaps seeing your patients that are waiting for you." Lana responded smartly.  
  
"Right." She turned to the waiting room. "Rosa Brenti." A lady stood up and walked over to her. Lu led her to her office. Andy walked in the clinic doors a few seconds later.  
  
"Hey Hawkins." She said politely on her way to her office. There was a box of flowers on her desk waiting to be opened. Andy read the card and found out that they were from Dr. Jackson, apologizing for all that had happened.  
  
'How sweet.' She thought to herself while smelling the flowers and placing them in a vase with water. After she put on her white lab coat she walked back out to Lana. "Any messages?"  
  
"Nope." Lana responded.  
  
"When's my first patient?"  
  
"At 9:45. You have about 10 minutes."  
  
"Thank you." Andy walked to the cafeteria and got some coffee. She ran into her beloved fiancée on the way. They talked while pouring and walking back to her office.  
  
"So Jessie's upset with you because??"  
  
"Because I wouldn't let her go to a concert last night with her friends that she has apparently been waiting all year for."  
  
"And you didn't let her go because??"  
  
"Umm..because I.." She hesitated. "I didn't want her out of my sight. I didn't want either of my children out of my house late at night where there's so much danger and so many bad people..Yeah I know that sounds really stupid but-"  
  
"No, it doesn't. Not after Friday." She smiled at him and was really glad that he understood. When it was 9:45 he returned to his work and she to hers.  
  
Noon approached slowly for Dr. Delgado. She waited very impatiently in the courtyard cafeteria for him. After a few seconds of standing she sat down. But a few seconds later she decided she didn't like that so she stood up again and paced slowly.  
  
"Why are you pacing?" A familiar voice asked behind her and Lu jumped nervously.  
  
"Peter? What are you doing here?"  
  
"Why are you pacing?"  
  
"I'm just a little nervous."  
  
"Because?"  
  
"Because I'm supposed to meet my secret admirer right now."  
  
"Oh him. I have a feeling you'll be really surprised."  
  
"Why? Do you know him?" Lu questioned.  
  
"Oh yeah. I know him really well." Peter paused.  
  
"Well?"  
  
"Well what?"  
  
"Umm...who is he?"  
  
"You'll see."  
  
"Come on Peter. What's he like?"  
  
"Well I'd like to say he's intelligent. Good looking, sweet, sexy."  
  
"So it's a man?" Lu sounded relieved.  
  
"Yes it's a man."  
  
"What's he look like?"  
  
"Why don't you see for yourself?" Lu looked around for somebody she thought might be him.  
  
"Where is he?" She looked back at Peter.  
  
"You're looking at him." Lu's faced turned to total shock. She didn't say anything but just stared at him. He stared back, not surprised at her reaction.  
  
"You're..?" He nodded. "You were the one..?" He nodded again. She didn't know what to say but a smiled came upon her face. Peter placed his hands on her arms that were by her sides. His body got closer to her and he whispered before placing his lips to hers. "Surprised?" After they broke the very nice and soft kiss Lu still didn't speak. "Are you ok?" She shook her head no and quickly walked away from him. He was surprised at her actions.  
  
Lu headed for her office and called to Lana. "Hawkins get in here!"  
  
"What the-" She didn't finish her sentence and walked quickly to Lu. "What's wrong?"  
  
"It's Peter." Lu said not calmly.  
  
"What about Peter?"  
  
"It's him."  
  
"I don't understand."  
  
"He's the secret admirer!!!!" Lu shouted and plopped down in a chair.  
  
"He's what?" Lana's jaw dropped to the ground and her eyes grew wider than usual.  
  
"He's the guy that's been sending me flowers and candy and love poems. He's the one. He..he kissed me."  
  
"Oh..my...god." She said in a shocked teenager way.  
  
"Yeah no kidding." Lu stood up and paced again.  
  
"Well.ok. Let's just calm down." Lu stopped and sat again. A smile formed on Lana's face.  
  
"Why are you smiling?"  
  
"Because. I think it's great."  
  
"What?" Lu said getting another surprise.  
  
"I mean, think about it Lu. It's Peter. He's a great guy and a great massage therapist." Lu looked at her like she was crazy but thought about what she said. "Wait...what happened after he kissed you?"  
  
"I walked away and came here."  
  
"You just walked away from him!" It was Lana's turned to be surprised. "Umm..why?!"  
  
"Because."  
  
"That's not a good enough answer."  
  
"Because, I got scared ok."  
  
"Scared?" Lana asked confused.  
  
"Yeah. Lana I'm scared because I might feel the same way about him." Lana's jaw dropped again.  
  
"That's great. But......" Lana realized something. "You're scared because of Mickey." Lu nodded. "Sweetie, that was so long ago."  
  
"I know. But Mickey was the last man that I..I..."  
  
"Felt this way about?" She nodded again. "And you're scared because you think something will happen to Peter this time." Another nod came from Lu. "Lu, you have got to let it go. Yeah, terrible things have happened to you in the past. But that's the past."  
  
"Still, it scares me." Lu sat down again and Lana pulled up a chair across from her.  
  
'Psychology time.' Lana thought. "Lu, do you remember how you felt when you were with Mickey?" She nodded. "It felt wonderful didn't it?" Lu nodded again. She seemed to be doing a lot of that lately. "Do you remember when Milo Morton first asked out Andy and she got scared and you talked to her about it?" Lu looked at her friend confused on what any of that had to do with this. "Lu, it was you who said and I quote, 'If you have a chance at finding love again, I say take that chance.'" Lu understood her now. "You have that chance now my friend. You." Lana pointed to her. "That feeling that you had with Mickey and that feeling that Andy has with Milo has come." She paused. " You're the one who's scared now and I'm the good friend with the advice this time, so here it is. You have a chance at finding love again, I say take that chance." Lu sighed and looked at her best friend and smiled. "And that my friend is why I think that you should go talk to him. Right now!"  
  
"You're good."  
  
"Those psychology classes aren't for nothing sweetheart." Lana smiled and gave her friend a hug. Lu walked back to the courtyard and looked for Peter. She finally spotted him at a table near their little episode and went to talk to him.  
  
"Peter?"  
  
"Lu!" He stood up shocked to see her there. "Look, I'm sorry. I knew this was a bad idea." He started to walk away.  
  
"No." She said while stopping him. "It wasn't a bad idea. And I'm the one who's sorry. I'm sorry I walked away like that. I just got scared."  
  
"Lu, you don't have to-"  
  
"Let me finish." She broke off his sentence. "Peter, I got scared because I haven't felt like I feel now in a long time. In fact, I haven't felt this way since I told Mickey I loved him, which kind of sucked because he got shot right after that." She joked but found it not funny. "Anyway, I'm just trying to say that in those poems and letters you told me that you loved me and I'm pretty sure that I feel the same way about you." He looked at her surprised.  
  
"You do?" Lu nodded and smiled at him. "Well, what now?"  
  
"Umm...lunch?" She suggested.  
  
"Ok." He grabbed her hand and led her back to her office to take off her doctor coat and get her purse for a lunch she would never forget.  
  
That night Andy walked into Jessie's room to find her laying on her bed listening to her music really loud.  
  
"JESSIE?" She tried to yell over it. When she got no response she switched the music off.  
  
"Excuse you!"  
  
"We need to talk."  
  
"You can't really talk to a person who doesn't hardly exist." She said coldly. Andy took in her statement and then sat down facing her on the bed.  
  
"Listen, the only reason I didn't want you to go to that concert was because of something that happened to me last Friday." Jessie looked confused. "There was this man who I knew from Afghanistan. I don't know if you remember him. Dr. Lawk."  
  
"Isn't that the guy who was rude and annoying to us?" Andy nodded.  
  
"Well, he was supposed to inspect my work at the clinic and.." This was so hard for her to tell her daughter. Jessie listened carefully. "Instead of inspecting my work, he tried to..." She hesitated again and Jessie got more eager to hear what happened. "He tried to inspect me. If you know what I mean."  
  
"Oh my gosh." A disgusted look grew on her face. "Why?"  
  
"Because there are people in this world who think they can do that sort of thing and get away with it."  
  
"Did he..?"  
  
"No. I fought him off of me and got him fired for it."  
  
"Were you scared?"  
  
"Yes. But it wasn't the worst that could have happened. Anyway, I just didn't want you or your sister out of my sight after that. I was afraid that you would get hurt too. I'm sorry if I upset you and ruined your weekend, but you have to understand. I didn't let you go to that concert basically because I'm your mother and I really care about you."  
  
"And I'm sorry for what happened to you Mom. But you can't protect me forever. I'm a big girl and I can take care of myself. You know that, and I know that. You're going to have to let me go eventually."  
  
"Yes I will have to, but I'll never ever stop caring and worrying about you. You were my baby. And know you're all grown up. Kind of sad." Jessie half-smiled at her mom and bent in for a hug. "So you're not mad anymore?"  
  
"No."  
  
Andy sighed with relief. "Good. I love you Jessie."  
  
"I love you to mom." They smiled at each other and Andy flicked back on her music and walked out of her daughter's room happy.  
  
*****  
  
Me: How was that? Who knew that it was gonna be Peter??!!!! I did! Haha. Anyway, review people. And I'll catch ya on da flipside homies!!!! 


	11. I Spy

Me: Hey guys. So Peter's the secret admirer and now, he and Lu are an 'item'. Am I good or what? I know I am! Anyway, here's Chapter 14. I hope everyone likes it. It's not as much drama. I don't believe there are any rapes or deaths this time so don't worry. This story is full of chaos and I love that. I hope you do to. I don't own anything but my insanity and incredibly romantic and drama queen mood. See you later.  
  
*****  
  
It was a little bit into September and Lu and Peter were continuing to date each other. The weather was still warm but fall wasn't to far around the corner. Work was going well for most doctors. Things were still awkward between some people because of the incident with 'the inspector'. Andy spent most of her spare time with her kids, Jessie and Lizzy and very little time with Milo anymore. Even though she wanted to spend more and more time with him, but her children were her first priority right now. Nobody knew about Lu and Peter except for Lana, but not for long. They were being more affectionate towards each other and Andy always noticed things like that. She decided to talk to Lu about it.  
  
"Delgado, can I talk to you?" Andy asked one day at work during their break. Lu entered Andy's office and sat down ready to chat.  
  
"What is it?" Andy sat down in front of her and hesitated for a moment.  
  
"Ok. I'm not one to pry into my colleague's personal affairs but." She paused. "Umm..what's going on with you and Riggs?"  
  
Lu laughed. "Oh. I see how it is! I have to follow you around and bug you to death before you'll talk to me about personal things and now you just expect me to open up about everything?"  
  
"Yeah?" Andy said unsure of her response.  
  
"You wish." Lu stood up to leave.  
  
"Delgado! Come on! You know that I'm eventually going to find out anyway so just tell me."  
  
"Umm..I don't think so." Lu walked out of Andy's office laughing at her and thinking about how ridiculous it was to keep her personal life a secret from a woman she's been working with for a long time. A woman who she thought of, not only as a co-worker but a friend, especially after everything they had been through together. Andy went back to her lab papers but couldn't concentrate on them so she decided to visit Milo.  
  
Andy knocked on his office door and obeyed his command of 'come in.'  
  
"Oh. Hey Andy." He stood to give her a hug and kiss.  
  
"Hi." After a few kisses she asked him something. "Milo, can you help me with something?"  
  
"Anything. What? Do you need a consult?"  
  
"No. This really has nothing to do with work."  
  
"Oh. Well what is it?" He asked curiously.  
  
"Ok." She made her way to the couch but didn't sit. "This is going to sound really.stupid..but I need you to." She tried to put it in the right words before saying them aloud. "I need you to play 'spy' with me."  
  
He walked to her and wrapped is arms around her torso and smiled playfully. "Do you mean sexually?" Andy pulled away from him at his ridiculous questioning.  
  
"No!"  
  
"Oh. Darn." He pulled her back and she laughed.  
  
"Listen. Delgado won't tell me what's going on with her and Riggs?"  
  
"You mean the nurse, Peter?" Andy nodded. "There's something going on between them?"  
  
"Yes. I noticed it about a week ago. They seem closer in a way."  
  
"Well, just because they are closer in a way doesn't mean it's like 'that.' They could feel better around each other because they're like brother and sister or something."  
  
"No. I don't think it's like that. I could feel it. You know? I mean, it was more than just a brother sister kind of love. Do you understand what I'm saying?"  
  
"Yeah I get it. So what do you want me to do about it?"  
  
She held him tighter and smiled. "I want you to play Spy with me."  
  
"I still think that sound sexual."  
  
Andy slapped his arm. "Would you stop that?!"  
  
"Sorry. I can't help myself." He started to kiss her neck impatiently.  
  
"Um..Milo."  
  
"Hmm."  
  
"Can we concentrate on Delgado and Riggs right now?" She pulled away from him again.  
  
He sighed. "All right."  
  
"Good. Now, I want to see what's going on with them. She keeps me guessing and it's driving me crazy."  
  
"Ok. What's your plan?"  
  
"Well..I was thinking, we could eavesdrop and umm...do some army maneuvers that I was taught by my dad. And things like that?"  
  
"You mean to tell me, that you want me to sneak around with you, in the non- sexual way." Andy rolled her eyes at him. "And spy on Lu and 'supposively' her new boyfriend?"  
  
"Yeah. That's exactly what I want you to do."  
  
"You're crazy."  
  
"What?!"  
  
"You're crazy."  
  
"I heard you the first time. How am I crazy?"  
  
"Because. Andy you're asking me to spy on a friend of mine because she won't talk to you about her personal life, even when you didn't open up to her until after about a month of us dating."  
  
"That was different."  
  
"How?"  
  
"Well, it was me. This is her. She normally opens up about personal things, I don't. Unless it's with you, my children, or my parents."  
  
"I see."  
  
"You do." He nodded. "Will you do it?"  
  
He sighed and paused for a minute. "Ok. I'll spy on them with you."  
  
"Great." She kissed him as a 'thank you'. And he pulled her back after they broke for another one.  
  
Later that day Andy went home to get a few supplies for the 'spy' job and came back to find Milo waiting for her. He saw the microphones and speakers and all the electronics and was amazed.  
  
"Don't you think this is going a bit overboard Andy?"  
  
"No. I want to find out what's going on. And believe me, when I want something, I get it." She shoved some of the supplies into his hands and abbs and smiled.  
  
"I can see that." He looked at the supplies and then looked back her. "And what in god's name am I supposed to do with this?"  
  
"You're going to plant one of these microphone's in Riggs office, or 'massage room'. He has all different names for it."  
  
"What?!"  
  
"You're going to plant-"  
  
"Andy!"  
  
"What?"  
  
"This is crazy!"  
  
"No it's not!" She yelled back and him and pointed to the door.  
  
"How do you want me to put this in his office?"  
  
"You'll figure it out. Sneak in while he's not there. I'm going to ask Lana to retrieve some paperwork for me upstairs and I'm going to page Delgado to the ER. Nick is helping me set all that up. He has a patient down there, or should I say actor. She's going to pretend to be ill and she's going to keep Delgado preoccupied while I plant this microphone in her office." She held up the mic.  
  
"It's amazing how much you still amaze me even though I've been dating you for almost two years."  
  
"I know. It is." She smiled and shoved the equipment that was in his hands into his lab coat pocket and pushed him out the door. "Go." He sighed and left thinking about how he would plant a microphone in Peter's office.  
  
Andy walked out with her equipment in her pocket and approached Lana.  
  
"Hawkins will you go upstairs on the top floor and get a file for me?"  
  
"Sure. Which one?"  
  
"It's Kelly Pipers. It might be hard to find, because it's either under that name or Kelly Walls. I'm not sure. Just look for both."  
  
"All right."  
  
"Thank you." As Lana left the intercom came on.  
  
"Dr. Delgado to the ER. Dr. Delgado to the ER." Lu came running out of her office and headed towards the ER. Andy smiled that her plan was going great so far. Milo stood in the hallway to keep a look out for Lana. Andy signaled him that she was going in and he gave her the thumbs up. She entered Lu's office and shut the door behind her. Next she pulled the microphone out of her pocket and plugged it into wall and taped it to the bottom of one of Lu's desks. After that, she turned it on the right channel and wrote down the number of the channel. Before leaving she looked through some of Lu's papers on her desk to see if she could find anything. 'Found you.' She thought to herself when she found a little piece of paper with a bunch of phone numbers on it. Milo approached the door.  
  
"Hurry. Lana's coming back."  
  
"Oh." She hurried out of the office and back to the receptionist desk. Milo left so he was out of Lana's sight. "Did you get the file?"  
  
"I couldn't find it. I looked and looked Dr. Campbell but there is no Kelly Piper or Kelly Walls."  
  
"It's ok. It might be somewhere else. Thanks anyway." Andy walked away to meet Milo around the corner to discuss the plan to get into Peter's office.  
  
"Did you find anything?" He asked.  
  
"Yep. A whole list of numbers where on her desk. I'll check them out while your getting that microphone into Riggs office."  
  
"I already did that."  
  
"What? When?"  
  
"When you were putting the other one in Lu's office. I went in there when Lu was called to the ER and Lana left. Peter followed Lana into the elevator. I guess he was going to go check up on something. Perfect timing right?"  
  
"Yeah. It was. Ok, I'll page Nick to tell him to cut the acting so Delgado will come back and I'll keep this microphone on me the entire time so I can hear if they have a private conversation in one of the two offices."  
  
"This is so sneaky!"  
  
"I know. I love it. Which is why I joined the army. I got to do a lot of stuff like this throughout my years. Lot's of fun. Now, come on. I have a few free minutes until I have to get back to work. Why don't we look up these numbers?" She held the list up and started to walk to her office with Milo.  
  
After a few minutes of research, Milo's pager went off and he had to leave in a hurry. Andy continued the research by herself. The first number was a person's named Justin Barcherate. 'Jewish?' Andy thought. The second number and third numbers were a person's home and cell named Sarah Barcherate. 'This must be a patient's family or something.' She thought again. The last number was an anonymous cell phone. 'How can there be no registration of a cell phone. That's crazy.' She was confused. Delgado knocked on her office door and Andy quickly hid the list and exited the research on the computer.  
  
"What can I do for you Delgado?" She asked innocently.  
  
"You will not believe this patient in the ER I just had. There was something about her that seemed so strange. Like she wasn't really sick or hurt but just playing around. Kind of aggravated me."  
  
"Oh. That's odd. What did she have?"  
  
"Nothing. I didn't have enough time to do a complete check up on her before she got up and told me that she felt a lot better and walked away."  
  
"Really? That's so strange."  
  
"Yeah. I thought it was."  
  
"Is there something else you needed?"  
  
"Not really."  
  
"Feel like opening up yet?"  
  
"There's nothing to open up about Andy."  
  
"Ok." Lu stood up and left the office. Andy went back to her research but before she got any further, the ER paged her.  
  
Later in the day Andy was standing around Lana's desk looking to see if Peter or Lu were anywhere in sight.  
  
"Who you looking for Dr. Campbell?" Lana asked curiously.  
  
"Oh. I was just noticing that Nurse Riggs isn't around lately."  
  
"Oh. That's because he went home. I saw him in the elevator and he was on his way to get his things from the little garden on the roof and then was going to leave. Said he had some business to take care off."  
  
"You're kidding?" She was shocked.  
  
"Umm.no."  
  
"Ok. Umm...hold my calls and page me if anything important comes up." Andy started to walk away.  
  
"Where are you going?"  
  
"I feel like visiting my fiancée is that a problem?"  
  
"No. I was just wondering."  
  
"Ok, well bye." Andy continued to walk away to the elevator. When she got to Milo's office, she made sure he wasn't busy with a patient or anything and then burst into his office. "Riggs left."  
  
"What?" Milo was surprised to see her there.  
  
"He left for the day. Hawkins told me downstairs. Tell me. What was the point of setting all the equipment up if he's just going to leave? They're not going to have any conversations if he's not here." She was pacing and very upset. "Plus, I couldn't find any connection with those phone numbers. The first three were some patient or something and the last was unlisted."  
  
"Andy, calm down." He stood up and stopped her from pacing.  
  
"Sorry. I just wanted to know so bad, I guess I pushed to far." She laughed at herself and he hugged her. This calmed her down a lot.  
  
"There's always tomorrow." He mentioned and this made her smile, playfully but evilly.  
  
The next day Andy snooped around Lu and Peter for half the day to see if she could pry anything from them. When she was just sitting in her office, she heard voices coming from her lab coat pocket. After a few seconds of wondering she realized it was Lu and Peter in one of the two offices. She turned the volume up and put it on her desk while closing the door. Andy listened carefully as she recorded the conversation.  
  
"So, what are we going to be doing tonight?" The voice was Lu's.  
  
"I don't know. What do you want to do?" This voice was Peters. Andy smiled. Her plan was working.  
  
"We could go to a movie or dinner? I don't have any plans and Marc is going to be at his friends house all evening."  
  
"How about I bring Chinese and we order a movie off of the TV. You know. Cuddling and snuggling on the couch. The whole night together."  
  
'This is getting juicy.' Andy thought while still listening to their conversation through the microphones.  
  
"Maybe we could also-" The voices stopped. Andy tapped the microphone and fiddled with its knobs to get it working again. It had either gone dead or somebody found it.  
  
'Oh, no. What if I've been caught?' She wondered. Andy stepped out of her office casually and started towards Lu's office. 'Maybe I could just walk by to see what's going on?' She thought. 'But what would I be stopping by for? Maybe I shouldn't.' She decided that she wasn't going to and walked straight past her office and to the elevators to talk to Milo. When she got there he was busy so she waited very impatiently outside his office. He noticed her when he walked his patient out the door.  
  
"Oh, hi. What's going on?" Andy pulled the microphone out of her pocket to show him. "OH! Did they start talking?" He led her into his office.  
  
"Yeah." Andy played him the tape of Peter and Lu's conversation.  
  
"What happened to it? And by the way, this is so incredibly wrong of us Andy." She rolled her eyes at him.  
  
"I don't know why it shut off Milo. It just stopped letting me listen to the conversation. I need time to get in there and check to see if the microphone is messed up or something."  
  
"Ok. Andy, stop! STOP! You're scaring me. This is beyond normal. This is invasion of privacy. Sweetie, I love you with all my heart but you have got to stop before you go totally insane. As if you weren't already there!"  
  
"Am I really acting that crazy?"  
  
"Yes you are." She sighed and they sat down on his couch. "Now, calm down. When Lu and Peter aren't in their offices I'm going to go in there and unplug the microphones so you can't eavesdrop on them anymore. I shouldn't have even helped you in the first place. It was crazy. And I'm sorry if that sounds harsh and cruel but it's true. You've gone overboard and I think it's time you just wait for Lu to come talk to you."  
  
"You're right. I should wait for her to come to me instead of invading her privacy. Can you forgive me for dragging you into this?"  
  
"Yes I can. But you'll have to work for it."  
  
"How do you mean?"  
  
"I think you know what I mean Andy?"  
  
"Oh. That, well of course I'll do that." They ended up kissing for about a half an hour before they went back down to the Andy's office to wait for Lu and Peter to leave so Milo could remove the microphones.  
  
Lu walked over to Andy sitting in the waiting room, waiting to talk to another patient about a serious medical problem.  
  
"Hi."  
  
"Oh, hey Delgado. What can I do for you now?"  
  
"I was wondering when you're free next. Maybe we could go get some coffee and talk." Andy went wide-eyed that she was suggesting opening up to her.  
  
"Umm.I can right after this last patient. It's almost my break time anyway."  
  
"Ok. I'll see you in the court-yard cafeteria?"  
  
"All right." Andy smiled as she walked away. After she was done with her patient she met with Lu and they talked about Peter most of the time and Lu told her everything that had happened. 'So Milo was right? I just had to wait for her to open up to me.' She thought to herself while Lu was blabbering away like a teenager about Peter, her new love.  
  
*****  
  
Me: Hey guys. I thought that chapter was a low-key thing. I was sick of all the drama so I figured why not make Andy go crazy over Lu's confessions and stuff. I thought it was good. Why don't you review it and tell me if you think the same thing. Thanks guys. 


	12. Suicide

Me: This is Chapter 15.  
  
CM02: One hint: The abusive-  
  
Me: CRAZY!!!! Don't give it away!  
  
CM02: Sorry, your hizzighness!  
  
Me: Damn straight. Now, just say the friggin' disclaimer so my fans can she what drama lies ahead for Andy.... Muahahaha!  
  
CM02: Alrighty! Special don't own no characters..derr...done.  
  
Me: Thank you Peppa. Have fun everybody.  
  
*****  
  
Andy and Milo sat at the kitchen table early Saturday afternoon, October 20th, planning more of their wedding. Jessie had gone to the mall with her friends, Sherry and Jennifer, and Lizzy was sitting at the computer doing her English project.  
  
"What do you think of the roses we picked out?" Milo asked.  
  
"I think they're gorgeous. Why?"  
  
"Just wondering."  
  
"Do you like them?"  
  
"Yeah." Andy could sense that there was something wrong with him.  
  
"Is everything ok Milo?" She asked after a long pause.  
  
"Sure." He said doubtfully while walking to the sink for a glass of water.  
  
"Sure?"  
  
"Yeah, that's what I said."  
  
"Gee, for some strange reason, I'm not believing you."  
  
"Ok. I guess I can't hide it. Do you remember when I asked you about the last name thing awhile ago?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Well, you never gave me an answer Andy."  
  
"I didn't?"  
  
"No, you didn't."  
  
"Let me think about Milo."  
  
"Funny, that's what you said last time I asked." Andy could feel that he was getting upset.  
  
"Well, then I'm still thinking about it ok."  
  
"No, it's not ok."  
  
"Milo." He responded by pouring the rest of his water in the sink and turning his back to her. "It takes a lot of thought and everything is going to be effected by this decision. It's not an easy one."  
  
"What's so difficult? I'm just asking you if you're going to remain Dr. Andy Campbell or if you're going to become Dr. Andy Morton."  
  
"It's very difficult. I love you but, I have to think about how my children feel and how it's going to effect my job situation."  
  
"Right." Everything went quite quickly. The only thing that could be heard was the computer making noises in the next room. "Well, I'll let you think about it then." Milo made his way to the front door and grabbed his coat. Andy followed him.  
  
"You're leaving?"  
  
"You said you needed to think about it. So I'm letting you."  
  
"Nobody says I have to do it alone."  
  
"I do." He gave her one last look and was out the door leaving her there to think.  
  
Back at Peter's apartment, he and Lu had had their first intimate encounter.  
  
"Wow." Lu gasped for breath and rolled off of him.  
  
"So you liked it?"  
  
"Oh yeah." Her chest moved up and down fast as she breathed in the scent of her surroundings. "That was....'wow'." He laughed at her and kissed her forehead. After a long pause of relaxation he asked her something.  
  
"Are you staying the night again?"  
  
"I can. I mean Marc is a big boy. He can take care of himself now. But that's only if you want me to?"  
  
"Well, of course I want you to."  
  
"Then I will." She rolled back on top of him and kissed his face playfully. Her pager went off a second later. "You've got to be kidding me." After searching for it a minute under all the removed clothing she looked at the number. "It's the ER. I have to go."  
  
"Yeah, I know how this goes. Have fun." Lu grabbed her clothes and headed for the bathroom.  
  
Nick and the paramedics rolled the stretcher into the ER as Lu ran through the doors.  
  
"What's going on? I got a page."  
  
"Twenty-two female, 5'5" 138 pounds. Knife marks on wrists and chest. Found this at the scene." The paramedic held up a bloody knife.  
  
"On my count..1..2. and" They moved the girls body onto the real hospital bed. "What scene?"  
  
"She was trying to kill herself. She was on the roof with a knife. Neighbors called the cops and the ambulance just in case. Nobody knew if she was going to jump or stab herself first." Nick explained while Lu was looking at the women.  
  
"Obviously she stabbed herself first." Lu looked at the puncture wound in the women's left side. "She's bleeding bad. Get her up to surgery, we've got to close that whole." All of a sudden the monitor rang solid. "Shit." Lu grabbed the zaps. "Charge to a hundred."  
  
"Ready." Nick said quickly.  
  
"Clear." Lu zapped the patient. The monitor still rang solid. "Charge to 150." She zapped her again. "No heartbeat. Charge to 200."  
  
"Lu."  
  
"Charge to 200!"  
  
"Ready."  
  
"Clear." Lu shocked the girl once more but there was no use. "Time of death, 1:24 PM." The nurses covered the girl's head with a sheet to show that she was no longer alive and Lu turned to Nick. "Who was she?"  
  
"Carry Baxter."  
  
"That's not my patient."  
  
"I know. It's actually Dr. Campbell's patient."  
  
"Then why did you page me?"  
  
"She claimed to be a girlfriend of Marc Delgado." Lu looked at him like he was crazy.  
  
"A girlfriend of Marc's?" Nick nodded. "Why would she want to commit suicide?" He shrugged.  
  
That night Milo called but Andy didn't answer. Jessie and Lizzy were gone for the night so she decided to stay home and think. The phone rang again about thirty minutes later and Andy still didn't answer. The answering machine came on. It was in Jessie's voice. "You have reached the Campbell's. No one is home right now to take a message so please leave a message after the beep. Thank you and have an nice day." The beep rang as Andy sat on the couch next to it.  
  
"Dr. Campbell, pick up the phone. It's Delgado." Andy grabbed the phone and wiped away a tear.  
  
"What can I do for you Delgado?"  
  
"I would have called earlier but I've been swamped. A Carry Baxter came into the ER today. Do you know her?"  
  
"Yes she's my patient. What happened?"  
  
"She tried to kill herself Andy. And I couldn't save her."  
  
"What?"  
  
"She died of loss of blood through the knife whole in her side. Do you have any idea why she would kill herself Andy?"  
  
"She was a manic-depressive. Very down all the time and very emotional."  
  
"Did she have any boyfriends by any chance?"  
  
"I wouldn't know. She never told be about her personal life Delgado why?"  
  
"Because, the reason that they paged me to come help her instead of you is because she was claiming to be Marc's girlfriend. I was just wondering if you knew anything about this."  
  
"No I don't. And I'm quite mad. She was my patient, they should have contacted me, not you!" Andy grew angry over the phone.  
  
"I know, I said the same thing. Look, I have to go, that's my other line."  
  
"Update me when you can."  
  
"All right, bye." They hung up the phone and Andy slammed it down into the craddle.  
  
"Damnit!" She said while furiously heading up the staircase.  
  
The next day both Lu and Andy were unhappy at work. Lana was absent so there was an unknown receptionist at her desk. Peter was talking to Lu when Milo walked up to find Andy.  
  
"Have you seen Andy?" He asked the lady at Lana's desk.  
  
"Who?"  
  
"Dr. Campbell."  
  
"Oh, yes. She went to the cafeteria for some more coffee."  
  
"Right. Thanks." Milo headed towards the cafeteria to talk to her. She was sitting near a tree still thinking when he arrived. "Andy?"  
  
"Milo." She responded with absolutely no interest in talking to him.  
  
"You didn't answer your phone last night."  
  
"I was thinking." After this harsh statement she got up and began walking.  
  
"I guess I deserve that."  
  
"You guessed right."  
  
"Listen, I'm sorry for pressuring you to make a decision so quickly. I realize now that it was very inconsiderate of me. I truly am sorry Andy." By this time, they had reached her office but were still outside it.  
  
"I know you are. I just don't know what I want right now Milo. I don't know if I want to be Dr. Morton. It would be wonderful to reveal our love in that way but it would also be confusing. I mean our answering machine would have to say 'You've reached, Dr. Andy and Milo Morton and Jessie and Lizzy Campbell.'" They laughed at her. "It would be confusing Milo."  
  
"Yes it would. Which is why, if you stay Dr. Campbell then I'm ok with that."  
  
"You are?" Andy asked surprised.  
  
"Yes I am. Even though that is your ex-husbands last name, everyone knows you as Dr. Andy Campbell, not Dr. Andy Morton."  
  
"I don't know Milo. I'll eventually make a decision."  
  
"Take your time."  
  
"Thank you for being so understanding about this."  
  
"That is what love is all about." He kissed her and they went into her office to talk and kiss more.  
  
Lu and Peter stood near Lana's desk talking about her situation.  
  
"I haven't been able to get in touch with Marc since yesterday morning Peter. That's not good. Especially is a women claiming to be his girlfriend committed suicide Saturday night!"  
  
"I know, I know. But he'll turn up eventually Lu. They always do."  
  
"I hope so."  
  
That night Andy and Milo went to dinner. Afterwards they walked up to the front door hand in hand.  
  
"That was a nice evening Milo. Thank you."  
  
"My pleasure. And I was hoping that it wouldn't be over but-"  
  
"The girls are home." She said disappointed.  
  
"Right." He bent down and kissed her lips. After he slowly pulled away she pulled him back for more. Lizzy opened the front door in the middle of it.  
  
"Mom." Andy pulled away from Milo and looked at her daughter.  
  
"Lizzy, what did I tell you about interrupting adults."  
  
"I know, I'm sorry. But Dad's on the phone for you."  
  
"For me?!" Andy was shocked that Les of all people would want to talk to her.  
  
"Maybe you should take this call Andy." Milo butted in.  
  
Andy sighed. "Tell him I'll be there in a minute." She grabbed the doorknob and shut the front door to leave her alone with Milo again. "Where were we?" She placed her arms around his neck and kissed his lips gently. After awhile he said.  
  
"Don't you think you should go inside and answer the phone now."  
  
"Why are you in such a hurry to get me out of your arms and put me into a phone conversation with my ex-husband when I'm obviously trying to avoid it?"  
  
"Because, it's probably important."  
  
"Fine. But this isn't over Milo. We'll just have to continue it tomorrow night." She kissed him once more and went inside. "Ok, give me the phone Lizzy."  
  
"You took to long Mom. He had to leave in a hurry. But he says that he'll call you tomorrow at the office." Andy sighed and rolled her eyes.  
  
The next morning Andy was sitting her office with Lu talking about the patient Carry Baxter. Lana walked in.  
  
"Dr. Campbell, call for you on line 1."  
  
"Who is it?"  
  
"Mr. Campbell."  
  
"Ehh..don't call him that."  
  
"Sorry." Lana walked out and Lu made herself comfortable in the chair across Andy. About ten minutes later Andy hung up the phone shocked.  
  
"What's going on?"  
  
"It's Les."  
  
"Is something wrong with him?"  
  
"He's...moving back to Philly."  
  
*****  
  
Me: Haha, cliffie!!!!!!! See ya in the next chappy! 


	13. Marc's Illegal Secrets

Me: Hey everybody, I know I know.you're probably all thinking, "Wait, didn't she already have a Chapter 16?" Well you're right. I did have a Chapter 16 but this is the new one..because I didn't like how the last one lead up to Chapter 17....you find out basically the same thing as the previous but there are a few things added. Sorry if I confused you. Anyway, I hope you like this one a bit better then the last...  
  
^~^~^~^~^~^~^  
  
That night right after Andy had gotten off work she decided to talk to Milo. When the elevator doors opened to let her in, Lu was standing there and wasn't in a pleasant mood.  
  
"What are you still doing here? Don't you usually leave right after you get off?" She said in a snappy attitude.  
  
"Yes, but I thought I'd go see Milo for a minute. Is that a problem?" Andy said defensively.  
  
"Oh." There was an awkward pause between them. "Look, I'm sorry I just snapped at you like that..it's just.I can't figure out this Carry Baxtor thing, and not seeing Marc in the past two days isn't helping."  
  
"So there's no update with that?"  
  
"No, not yet." Another pause took place while the elevator slowly made it's way to the eighth floor, which was Andy's destination. "So, are you going to tell Milo about 'you know what?'"  
  
"You know what?? Delgado, it's not like it's an allergy or something. If you say it, it's not like it's going to hurt anybody." The elevator stopped and the doors opened to reveal Milo but before Andy saw him she said, "Just say it, Les is moving back to Philly." Once this was said, and everybody was aware of everybody else, the three doctors just stared at one another wide-eyed.  
  
"What?!" Milo managed to say after a few blank stares at them.  
  
"Won't hurt anybody?? Riiiiight.." Lu whispered as Andy stepped out of the elevator and the doors closed to take her to another floor.  
  
"I'm sorry, do I need to have my hearing checked? Because I thought I just heard you say something that is so absurd, I can't even imagine it." Milo stated still wide-eyed.  
  
"Depends, what did you hear?" Andy asked hoping that he didn't hear her. She didn't want him to find out like that. He sighed heavily and led her back to his office. "Are you serious Andy? He's really back."  
  
"Well, not yet, but he will be."  
  
"When?" Milo asked walking to his desk and sitting in his chair.  
  
"February."  
  
"Oh. That's quite a ways away but he's really coming back?" Andy nodded as she stood uncomfortably next to his desk. "How does that make you feel Andy?" She was silent. "Andy?"  
  
"Well, I'm worried about what's going to happen when he gets back. With the kids, with us. It seems like..everything will be affected by this Milo.and that literally scares me. But on the other hand, he's not coming back till February so it won't effect our wedding."  
  
"That's good. The wedding part, not the rest." She nodded again. There was a pause between them until he reached over and gently tugged her arm, which pulled her towards his lap. Andy sat down and curled against his warm body. "It'll be ok Andy."  
  
"How do you that?"  
  
"I don't. But I do know that I love you and nothing, and I mean nothing will ever change that." This made her smile for the first time since Les had called her with the surprising news of his return.  
  
***  
  
Lu got in touch with Marc that same night and set up a little dinner date between the two of them to talk. Half-way through the meal she decided to bring up Carry Baxtor. By the time the waiter had come to replace their drinks with new ones she had explained what had happened to the women.  
  
"Did you know her?"  
  
"I already told you no." Marc sat still and stared at his food.  
  
"I just don't get why she would say that you of all people was her boyfriend and you say you've never even heard of her.." Lu looked at her son and knew he was uncomfortable.  
  
"I can't answer that Mom." He said quietly.  
  
"Really?" Lu paused. "Look me in the eye and say that?" Marc hesitated but then looked his mother in the eyes and repeated his sentence. Lu paused again before pulling out a picture of Carry Baxtor. "I'm your mother Marc. Mother's can automatically tell when their children are lying to them.Now tell me." She pointed to the picture. "Did you know this women?"  
  
***  
  
It had now been a week since Les had told them the news. Lizzy and Jessie's reactions were of normal teenagers. They were excited that their father was coming home. Andy had gotten home from work the day he called and was going to tell them but he had already called and done it himself. It was a Friday and she had promised that she would take Jessie shopping at the mall.  
  
"Come on Jessie. We've been to about five different clothing stores and come out with nothing."  
  
"Hey, can I help it if I have a unique style?" Jessie made Andy laugh at her.  
  
"Whatever you say." They entered yet another clothing store and Andy decided to pick up the conversation some while Jessie tried on clothes. "Hey Jess?"  
  
"Yeah Mom?"  
  
"Sweetie..umm..how do you feel about your father moving back here?" Jessie didn't respond. "Jessie?"  
  
"Mom, these jeans are too big. I need a smaller size." Andy, not wanting to start anything, obeyed her daughter and got her a smaller size.  
  
"You didn't answer the question?"  
  
"Um..can I use a lifeline please?"  
  
Andy chuckled. "Come Jess, be honest with me." Jessie walked out of the dressing room with the new jeans on.  
  
"Well they fit."  
  
"Finally." Andy commented quietly while Jessie gave a disgusted look into the mirror at herself. "Oh, what now? What's wrong with this pair?"  
  
"They are way too baggy and they make my butt look huge!" Jessie ran back into the dressing room to try on different things as Andy sighed and sat down on a bench nearby.  
  
"So.."  
  
"So what?"  
  
"How do you feel Jessie?" She asked getting irritated by her daughter's delaying.  
  
"I don't know Mom."  
  
"You don't know?"  
  
"I mean, it's great that Dad is finally coming back and we'll get to see him a lot more and all but.." Jessie paused and stepped out of the dressing room with a tank-top on and another pair of jeans. "No these don't look good either."  
  
"Ugh.but what?"  
  
"Huh? Oh.." She paused again and looked her mother in the eye. "Everything changed majorely when Dad left and even though it was hard, we all lived through it and.now that Milo's going to be part of our family, it just wouldn't seem the same with Dad around."  
  
"Are you saying that you don't want your dad to come back because I'm marrying Milo?"  
  
"Well, sort of. It's not that I don't want you to marry him Mom. Milo really is a nice guy and we've all excepted him now and I guess..what I'm trying to say is that I would be afraid.that Dad would ruin that." Andy looked at her daughter amazed. "Mom?" Andy didn't answer her. "Mom, are you alive in there?"  
  
"Huh? Oh of course. I just can't believe that you feel that way."  
  
"Well believe it." Jessie went back into the changing room. Andy was too amazing for anymore words so she sat patiently as her daughter changed back into her real clothes. "None of these are any good. Come on, let's just go get some Dairy Queen or something." She said while putting the clothes in a pile to return to the store.  
  
"All right. Let's go."  
  
***  
  
Lu eventually caught up with Andy about Carry Baxtor.  
  
"Dr. Campbell?" They were all standing around Lana's desk. Lu had already told Lana and Peter the deal but nobody else.  
  
"Yes Dr. Delgado?"  
  
"Can I talk to you in private for a moment." Andy looked at Lu in concern and nodded. When they got inside her office Lu started to talk. "I found the missing puzzle piece."  
  
"What are you talking about Delgado?" Andy asked still confused.  
  
"Marc told me...well more like he confessed to me about Carry Baxtor." Lu expression was sad and angry at the same time.  
  
"Oh gosh." Andy said under her breath. "Well."  
  
"I'm so angry that I have to say this about my son, but he's gotten himself into a bit of trouble. Actually it's pretty big trouble in my book." Lu paused and sighed, preparing to tell the story aloud again. "He met Carry Baxtor a few days before she came into the ER and..." Lu hesitated. "How do I say this again?"  
  
"Look, you don't have to tell me if you don't want to." Andy reassured her.  
  
"No, I do...you should know, she was your patient...I requested a biopsy on her this morning to see if Marc was right and he was."  
  
"About what?"  
  
"Carry Baxtor had drugs in her system. She wasn't stoned when she stabbed herself but she had been earlier that week. Thing is, Marc helped her."  
  
"Helped her?"  
  
"With the drugs." Andy went wide-eyed and didn't believe what she was hearing. "He helped her deal them. And helped her smoke them." Andy's jaw dropped and she stared at her partner concerned.  
  
^~^~^~^~^~^~^  
  
Me: Ahh! Cliffie!!! Hehe, find out what's gonna happen to Marc Delgado in the next chappie. 


	14. Addiction

Me: Hey everybody..Sorry I've been keeping Chapter 17 so long from you but schools really cramping my style..but today it SNOWED! And the school's were closed for the day plus it's a Friday anyway so I got a bit of free time on my hands to type this Chappy up..hope you like it...  
  
^~^~^~^~^~^  
  
Two weeks after everyone had learned about Marc's illegal secrets, Lu decided to send him to a rehabilitation center in Northern Philly. Everything was depressing about Lu now. Her work and patients suffered, just like when Mickey died. Everybody including Dr. Jackson tried to cheer her up but there was no use. Marc would be in rehab for about a month. The suffering doctor hadn't been to visit her addicted son yet and Peter had promised her that he would take her up the 3rd weekend that he was there. Turns out that Marc had been doing drugs even before he met Carry Baxtor. At work the Thursday before their trip up to see Marc, Peter asked if he could talk to Lu in private so they went into her office.  
  
"What's going on?"  
  
"I can't take you to see Marc this weekend Lu."  
  
"What? Peter!" She paused and looked at her feet growing angry. "Why not?"  
  
"Something's come up and I just can't make it."  
  
"What could possibly be more important?"  
  
"A lot of things I can think of." He said quietly not looking at her.  
  
"Peter, I told you that I didn't want to do this with out you. I can't face him alone. I need you to be there with me."  
  
"I'm sorry Lu, I just can't come. Not now." Lu fell silent and looked at her feet again. "Listen. You can do this by your self. You're a strong independent women and you'll be fine."  
  
"NO! I won't be..I don't want to do this by myself. Not this time."  
  
"Yes you can."  
  
"No."  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Peter!"  
  
"Lu!"  
  
"PETER!" Lu stomped her foot and looked into his eye evilly.  
  
"I know you. You can do this on your own and you'll be fine when you do. There is nothing I can do to help anyway. I just can't come with you."  
  
"What are you going to do instead?"  
  
"That doesn't matter." He said quickly. "Tell Marc I said 'Hi' and that I hope he gets better soon and he can come home."  
  
"Come on Peter. He really likes you and I think it would be good if you saw him."  
  
"Well then I'll visit him another day, just not this weekend."  
  
"So you're not going to change your mind?" Peter nodded and Lu sighed. "Fine.. I'll go alone. I don't need you anymore Peter." Lu stormed out of the office on the verge of tears.  
  
***  
  
Meanwhile, at the Campbell household, everybody had different feelings about Les coming back to Philly. While Lizzy was getting more and more excited, Andy was getting more and more nervous and Jessie was still in between emotions. Milo spent a lot of time with the family now, mostly to comfort Andy. It was three days that Thursday before Les's return, Andy needed a bit more comfort than usual so she asked Milo to stay with her for the night and had Jessie and Lizzy go to their friends houses. After they ate dinner, Milo helped her clean the dishes while discussing more of their wedding.  
  
"So you have Lu, Lana, Jessie and Lizzy for your bridesmaids?" He asked again.  
  
"Yep. And you have your two brothers, Jared and Michael, Riggs, and..wait that's only three."  
  
"Umm.I could get my dad."  
  
"Ok." Milo smiled at her while drying a plate and then decided to flirt so he shoved his body against hers gently. She noticed what he was doing and shoved back. "So..chicken or beef?" Andy laughed.  
  
"Chicken, everybody likes chicken. Well, except Riggs."  
  
"Well, he's a vegetarian. That doesn't count." Andy dried her hands and walked to the other side of the kitchen to put a dish away. Milo followed her and when he was close enough he grabbed her butt-cheek.  
  
"Excuse you!" She looked at him wide-eyed.  
  
"You know you liked it. Now kiss me."  
  
"And what if I don't?" She asked teasing him.  
  
"Well then I'll just have to..." He ran a finger down her cheek. "Have to...Tickle you!" Andy screamed as he reached for the sides of her stomach and got out of his reach before he could.  
  
"Don't even think about it Milo Morton!" He slowly walked towards her. "Milo!" He didn't stop so she turned and ran into the living room and he followed her. She screamed again as he tackled and pinned her on the couch. Laughter emerged from her body as his hands moved all around her stomach. The only person she let tickle her was him and even though she screamed and acted like she hated it, she really loved it when he did this. After awhile he stopped but still had her pinned. "You know just how to pin me! That's not fair!" She said.  
  
"Yes I do, and in more ways than one." He leaned down to kiss her but she fooled him and ended up throwing him on the floor. Then she fled to the hallway for safety. "Oh, that was good Andy. But you're not getting away that easy." He ran towards her and she darted up the stairs. When they reached the bedroom, she was on one side of the bed and he was on the other. "I'm going to get you women."  
  
"I'd like to see you try man." He jumped on the bed as she ran around it and back down the stairs. When he ran after her down the stairs she was no where in site. "Andy? Oh Andy..come out come out where ever you are." He stopped walking when he heard a laugh come from inside the closet below the stairs. He opened the door to the closet and called her name again. When there was no response but he knew that she was in there he stepped inside and closed the door behind him. Andy sighed heavily, not knowing that he was in there, and stepped out from behind a bunch of coats and boxes. The closet light was off so she couldn't see where she was going and bumped straight into him. "Boo."  
  
"Ahh!!" She responded still breathing heavily.  
  
"Got you."  
  
"Yes you did." She stated in between laughs. Then she searched through the dark for his lips and they finally connected.  
  
"Well now that I got you, can I do anything I want to you?" He asked very flirty-like.  
  
"Mm..hmm." Andy mumbled in the dark closet. As he kissed her again she stepped towards him and tripped over another box. "Um..Milo. Can we get out of the closet?" He laughed at her.  
  
"Yeah." Milo opened the door and let her step out first. Once out of the closet and back in the light he cornered her by the stairs and they kissed passionately. After a few minutes of that she pulled away.  
  
"What happened to discussing our wedding?"  
  
"Well.we can do both at the same time, can't we?" He grabbed her butt- cheeks again and led her to the living room.  
  
"Ok. What flavor cake for the reception?" She asked while kissing his neck.  
  
"I like vanilla."  
  
"And I like chocolate..and I'm not just talking about cake." He smiled at her and enjoyed her lips sucking on his neck.  
  
"How about half and half?"  
  
"That works." She said making her way down his body while pulling his shirt off.  
  
***  
  
Saturday morning Lu made her way to Northern Philly to see Marc. She was still upset that Peter wouldn't come with her but she wasn't going to let it keep her from going. As her car pulled up she saw a lot of people standing around talking and visiting. Before the doctor went inside she sighed and thought 'God, I never thought I'd be here to see my own son.' Once inside she saw Marc standing around the stairs waiting for her. "Marc." She called from the entry doors.  
  
"Mom!" He ran to her and hugged her tight. "I'm so glad you're here."  
  
"Me too sweetie. Me too." She whispered while giving him another hug. After that they sat down in some chairs near by. "So how are you doing here?"  
  
"I'm ok. The people here are nice and they help a lot."  
  
"They treating you ok?"  
  
"Yeah, it's fine."  
  
"Are you sure? Because I can get you moved-"  
  
"Mom." He interrupted her. "It's cool. I'm fine here. It's nice."  
  
"O-ok. You get out in a week so you really have nothing to worry about."  
  
"Actually, that's what I wanted to talk to you about mom." Lu looked at him wondering what was going on. "This is a nice place, and.." He hesitated. "And even though I wish that I was here for different reason, I think that..I should.umm.."  
  
"What is it Marc?"  
  
"I think I should stay another month."  
  
"What?" Lu asked shocked. "Why?"  
  
"I just don't trust myself enough yet to go back home and not use anymore. I have a problem and I'm admitting that I need help. More help that is."  
  
"You want to stay here?" Marc nodded and his eyes didn't leave hers. After awhile, she realized that he was concerned about his well being and that he needed more help. "Ok. I'll make the arrangements. I'll take care of it."  
  
"Thank you. I really need you right now Mom. I do."  
  
"And I'm here for you Marc. No matter what happens. I'm here for you. You're my son and I love you more than life itself. I'm here." Marc wrapped his arms around his mother as tears spilled from the young mans eyes.  
  
That night after Lu got home she called Lana and told her what was going on with Marc.  
  
"He's going to stay another month?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Won't that cost a lot of money?"  
  
"Yes but money doesn't matter as much as money Lana."  
  
"Don't you be talking to Lana about safety." Lu chuckled at her friend.  
  
"So have you seen Peter today?"  
  
"Umm.he left Rittenhouse about five in a really, really sexy tux with his hair all slicked back and he was smelling all good."  
  
"He was smelling all good? Where was he going?"  
  
"He didn't say. Just left in a hurry." Lana answered and Lu's mind raced at the possibilities.  
  
***  
  
Meanwhile while Jessie and Lizzy waited anxiously for their dad to arrive, Andy paced in the kitchen while on the phone with Milo.  
  
"Andy, are you sure you don't want me there?" He asked from his office phone at Rittenhouse.  
  
"Umm.no but you're working and even if you were here, it would just make things worse."  
  
"How? He can't touch you if I'm there."  
  
"He can't touch me even if you're not here Milo. I won't let him do that again, especially in front of the girls."  
  
"You're right. You can take care of yourself. I'm just worried."  
  
"Thank you. For being worried. It makes me feel like I'm not the only one." She said while getting a glass of water and peering into the living room every now in then. "I don't know what I would do without you."  
  
"Same here." There was silence between the two. All that was heard was the television in the living room.  
  
"Ok, waiting is killing me here Milo. Talk to me. Keep me busy, please."  
  
"Umm.ok..the wedding..let's talk about the wedding."  
  
"All right."  
  
"Um..."  
  
"Yeah." Andy waited impatiently for him to talk.  
  
"Umm."  
  
"Say something Milo!" She raised her voice slightly.  
  
"Ok, ok. I'm sorry. Let's see. I was thinking about the reception food."  
  
"What about it?"  
  
"I don't think we should do sit down dinner type things. I think we should do a buffet."  
  
"A buffet?"  
  
"Yeah. We could have a bunch of different foods."  
  
"Well, I guess we could-" The doorbell rang and interrupted their conversation. "I have to go."  
  
"Why? Is he there?"  
  
"Yep." She fell silent as Lizzy and Jessie opened the door and she heard Les's voice.  
  
"Andy?"  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"I love you." She fell silent again as she heard more re-uniting.  
  
"I love you too Milo." She said and then hung up the phone. Andy sighed and took in two deep breaths before entering the front hallway. When she did, he was standing there in front of the door holding both daughters in his arms.  
  
"Hi Andy."  
  
"Hey Les." He let go of Jessie and Lizzy and walked to her. After a pause he took her in his arms and squeezed her body tight. Les was home. He was back in Philly, to stay.  
  
^~^~^~^~^~^  
  
Me: What will happen between Les and Andy now that he's home? Will Marc be ok another month in rehab? Will Lu ever find out what's up with Peter? Stay tuned for Chapter 18 and see what happens. And one more thing, review my pizzeeps! 


	15. First Loves

Me: Hey guys! I'm back with the next chapter. I hope you enjoy it and oh yeah! I don't own any characters!  
  
^~^~^~^~^~^  
  
The Campbell's spent the rest of the night reuniting. Jessie and Lizzy had smiles on their faces while Andy stood in the doorway behind her ex-husband and her two daughters, smiling herself. Les was finally snapping back into the dad mode after being out of it for about two years. Later, Andy and Les both tucked their daughters into bed. Jessie smiled up at her two parents before shutting her eyes and Lizzy did the same. Once they were back downstairs, Andy made a pot of coffee and they sat on the couch to talk.  
  
"I can't believe you're back." She stated.  
  
"I can't believe you've accepted me back." Andy looked up at him wide-eyed. "I mean..back in Philly."  
  
"Right." She sighed and looked back at her cup of coffee steaming in the air. "So, how are you?"  
  
"I'm good. Especially now that I'm here." She looked up at him again. "I mean in Philly." Andy nodded and laughed at the situation.  
  
"Why is this so hard?"  
  
"I don't know." He exclaimed in between laughs.  
  
"I mean, we've been through a lot but-"  
  
"We should still be able to hold a conversation." He finished her sentence, thinking exactly what she was thinking.  
  
"Yes, that's what I was going to say." At that moment their eyes met and they fell silent, just staring at each other. "You should go Les."  
  
"Yeah, It's late. I should leave." But Les didn't move and neither did Andy until she repeated herself and then he made his way to the door.  
  
"I'll walk you to your car." Andy slipped on her jacket and they headed outside.  
  
"I guess I'll see you tomorrow then when I pick up the girls."  
  
"Yeah, I guess so." They stood facing each other and waiting for whatever was going to happen.  
  
'Should I shake her hand? Hug her? Kiss her cheek? What?!' Les thought to himself.  
  
'Oh, what's he going to do? What is he going to do?!' Andy thought. After a bit of hesitation, Les made his decision and leaned in to kiss Andy's cheek. She just responded with "Goodnight."  
  
"Bye." Then he got in his car and drove off.  
  
"God, what the hell am I doing?!!" Andy said to aloud to herself and sighed while walking back inside her house.  
  
***  
  
Lu walked into Peter's exam room to find him on his cell phone the next morning.  
  
"Yeah. I have to go......Yes, I'll be there and I won't be late...What am I going to wear?....What do you want me to wear?..." Lu looked at him curious about who he was talking to. "Yeah.a tux again.ok.of course. No, thank you. Mmm.hmm....I love you too. Bye." Peter hung up the phone and looked at his girlfriend standing in the corner with her arms crossed over her chest.  
  
"Who was that?"  
  
"Umm..nobody.it's not important." There was a pause and Lu looked at him a bit disappointed. "I have to go."  
  
"Where?"  
  
"Just out to the garden, ok?!" He said defensively and headed out of the office.  
  
"But Peter!-" But he was out the door before she could stop him. Lu walked out of the exam room and to Lana. "Something's going on with him Lana. But what?"  
  
"Honey, I'm in psychology classes and I don't think I can even answer that one." Lana replied while typing on the computer in front of her.  
  
"Dr. Delgado to the ER. Dr. Delgado to the ER." The intercom rang as Lu ran in the direction of the Emergency Room not knowing what kind of patient she was going to deal with next.  
  
***  
  
As Andy poured her coffee that morning, Jessie answered the front door and she could hear that it was Les.  
  
"Good morning Andy." He said while she picked up her briefcase and walked towards him and her daughters next to him.  
  
"Good morning." Andy turned to Jessie and Lizzy. "Be good."  
  
"Yes mother!" Jessie said sarcastically.  
  
"I mean it now." Jessie rolled her eyes and looked at her Dad.  
  
"Can I drive? Please?!" Les looked from his seventeen-year-old daughter's eyes to Andy's. She just shrugged.  
  
"Umm.we'll see." Jessie then sighed and they all headed out to their cars.  
  
Andy headed to Rittenhouse as Les, Jessie, and Lizzy headed to the park for their day of fun and bonding. When they arrived, Lizzy ran into one of her good friends, Maggie.  
  
"Come on Liz, come hand with me on the swings. I need to talk to you about 'you know who'." Maggie begged.  
  
"Sorry Magges but I'm hanging out with my Dad today." Lizzy responded.  
  
"You know what, just go ahead." Les said.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Go ahead, I have to talk to your sister in private anyway."  
  
"Are you sure?" Les nodded. "Ok. Just come and get me when you're done." Les nodded again as Lizzy ran off to the swings with Maggie.  
  
"What do you need to talk to me about?" Jessie asked once her sister was gone.  
  
"I just wanted to catch up with you. You're a senior in high school now Jess. You've got to have some kind of drama in your life, right?" Jessie laughed as they walked towards a gazebo with a bunch of benches. "So, I know you have a boyfriend. How's that going?"  
  
"Actually." Jessie said quietly while looking at her walking feet.  
  
"Oh no. What's wrong?"  
  
"Bryan and I aren't really getting along anymore. I'm seeing different sides of him."  
  
"Good or bad sides?"  
  
"Bad." She whispered trying not to cry in front of her father. Les sighed and put an arm around her shoulders.  
  
"Do you want to talk about it?" Jessie nodded. "Ok."  
  
"I think I'm going to dump him."  
  
"How long have you been dating him?"  
  
"Six months."  
  
"Wow, that's a pretty long relationship for being in high school."  
  
"That's why it's so hard." She was still looking at her feet.  
  
"Well, are you sure that it's over between the two of you?"  
  
"Yeah. We just aren't right for each other anymore. Besides, I'm kind of interested in somebody else."  
  
"Really? Who?"  
  
"It's nobody."  
  
"Hm..nobody. Sounds like a very unique person. I'd like to meet him." Jessie laughed as they sat down in the gazebo.  
  
"Very funny..you've met him before. A long, long time ago.before you and Mom got the divorce." Jessie spoke of her parents splitting up easily now.  
  
"Hmm..I'm still drawling a blank though sweetie."  
  
"Don't worry about it Dad. Nothing going to happen between me and my new interest."  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"Because there's this one person who wouldn't allow it." Les looked at her concerned. "I call her Mom." He chuckled.  
  
"Come on, tell me who this boy is Jessie."  
  
"Ok, ok. His name's Marc. Marc Delgado."  
  
***  
  
Andy walked into Rittenhouse and noticed that Lana was standing next to Milo and they were both staring at her.  
  
"Good morning Dr. Campbell." Lana said half-smiling at her. Everyone at the clinic knew that Andy's abusive ex-husband had returned the night before. Now they all were waiting to know what had happened when he arrived.  
  
"Good morning Hawkins." Andy smiled at Lana and gave Milo a nod. "Dr. Morton." She then headed into her office.  
  
"Dr. Morton?" Lana asked herself aloud. "I wonder what happened last night between her and that man." Milo looked at her frowning.  
  
"I'm about to go find out." He said and walked into Andy's office without knocking. "Hi."  
  
"Hi." She responded while slipping into her white lab coat. Milo fell silent waiting for her to start talking but Andy didn't say anything.  
  
"So..?"  
  
"So what?"  
  
"What happened after we hung up the phone last night?"  
  
"Umm...nothing much." She answered and headed back out to Lana's desk to get a patients file.  
  
"Nothing much?"  
  
"That what I said." Milo sighed. "What more of an answer do you want?" Andy turned around and looked at him. After seeing his face expression she added, "Nothing happened Milo."  
  
"Andy, why am I getting the impression that that 'nothing' really means 'everything'?"  
  
"Because you're getting paranoid and jealous for no reason." She whispered to him as Lana was sitting at her computer and glancing up at them. "Nothing happened." She reassured him again.  
  
"The more you say that, the more I-"  
  
"Dr. Campbell?!" Dr. Jackson called from a little ways down the hall, interrupting Milo. When he finally approached them and saw their faces, he realized that he was intruding. "Am I interrupting something?" Andy looked from Milo to him.  
  
"No, we were just finished here." She said while giving Milo one last glance and heading down the hall with Dr. Jackson by her side.  
  
***  
  
Lu finished with her patient in the ER and decided to chat with Nick for a minute.  
  
"Nick?"  
  
"Hey Lu."  
  
"What are you doing?"  
  
"Oh, just waiting for any emergency." Lu laughed. "I talked to Dana yesterday.  
  
"Really?! Oh my gosh. How is she?" Lu asked surprised.  
  
"Good."  
  
"Yeah? Did you call her or did she call you?"  
  
"She called Rittenhouse, I answered." Nick looked around the ER then back at Lu.  
  
"I imagine that was awkward. Am I right?"  
  
"I was a little at first, but after getting after the shock of hearing her voice and her calling, it was ok."  
  
"How long did you talk?" Lu asked.  
  
"Only a few minutes. I had another emergency in the middle of her telling me about Virginia. She talked to Dr. Jackson after that and said she would call back today to talk to everybody else."  
  
"Did she ever talk to Peter?"  
  
"I'm not sure."  
  
"Oh." Lu sighed as the Emergency doors opened and revealed a bloody man on a stretcher.  
  
"Well, I got to take this."  
  
"Have fun." She added and then slowly made her way back to her office.  
  
"Lu?" Lana called after her once she was inches away from her office.  
  
"Phone for you on line one."  
  
"Who is it?"  
  
"Dr. Dana Stowe!" Lana said wide-eyed.  
  
"What?!"  
  
"It's Dana!" Everyone was so shocked to hear from her.  
  
"I.I'll take it in my office." Lu rushed inside her office as Andy came walking back from talking to Dr. Jackson.  
  
"Dr. Campbell?"  
  
"Yes Hawkins."  
  
"I was instructed to tell you that Dr. Morton will be calling you later."  
  
"Oh, great." She said plainly at the thought of having to explain something to him that she didn't really know how to explain.  
  
"Oh, and Dr. Campbell?"  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"There is a phone message for you." Andy walked to Lana and grabbed the pink piece of paper in her hand and read it aloud.  
  
"Listen to your radio tonight at eight o'clock on 102.3." Andy looked at Lana confused. "Who is this from?"  
  
"They didn't say. Just left the message and hung up." Andy sighed and headed back towards her office.  
  
***  
  
"Dana?" Lu asked into the receiver of the phone.  
  
"Hey Lu!"  
  
"Gosh, how are you?"  
  
"I'm good."  
  
"Well..that's good." Dana laughed quietly on the other side of the phone. "I heard you talked to Nick and Dr. Jackson yesterday."  
  
"Oh, yes I did. I wanted to talk to Dr. Jackson first but Nick answered so I talked to him, then Dr. Jackson and then I wanted to speak with you but you were busy in the ER so I asked to talk to Peter and he was busy, so Dr. Jackson put Lana on the phone and I talked to her a bit and then I just said that I would call back tomorrow to talk to the rest of you guys."  
  
"Interesting. I wish I could have seen the look on your face when Nick answered the phone." Dana laughed again.  
  
"No you don't, believe me."  
  
"That awkward huh?"  
  
"Not as awkward as talking to Lana. When did that women get so smart?!"  
  
"Well, she does have a masters degree in Psychology now Dana."  
  
"What?!" Lu laughed and placed her feet on the top of her desk. "Well you guys seem to be pretty busy around there lately."  
  
"Yeah, that's how it is now. No time to socialize on work hours. In fact I don't think I've talked to Andy about her problems lately. I need to remember to do that." Lu said really talking to herself now.  
  
"Andy?"  
  
"Oh. Dr. (Colonel) Andy Campbell. The doctor who got your job."  
  
"What problems does she have?"  
  
"Oh you know, the regular ones. She divorced her abusive husband about two years ago and he moved to California and now he's moved back to spend more time with their two daughters, and she's handling that while trying to plan a wedding by January 23rd and I've heard that her fiancée isn't to pleased about Les, her ex, returning home."  
  
"You call those regular problems?"  
  
"Well, I guess they are a bit more extreme then usual but so are mine."  
  
"Yours?" Dana asked curiously.  
  
"Yep. Marc, remember him, my son?"  
  
"Yes!"  
  
"Well, he got into some bad drugs and I had to send him to two months in rehab."  
  
"Oh my gosh! Marc?!"  
  
"Yep, Marc. That kid never lets me sleep. And then there's my boyfriend. He's acting strange and it seems like he's keeping so many secrets right now."  
  
"Who's your boyfriend?"  
  
"Peter."  
  
"WHAT?!!" Lu laughed as Dana jolted up on her couch wide-eyed.  
  
"I'm dating Peter now Dana."  
  
"OH MY GOSH! That was unexpected."  
  
"All though, I don't know how long that's going to last. I swear, my biological clock is running out of time and I still haven't found myself a steady man."  
  
"Welcome to the club! I've had only three boyfriends since I moved back to Virginia and I'm currently single at the moment and have been for awhile. Why is it that nobody wants to be involved with a women doctor who has two children?"  
  
"Umm.Dana, It might just be you."  
  
"Excuse me?"  
  
"Andy has two daughters and she's getting married, again!"  
  
"Well that's her." Dana said snotty-like, not liking this women doctor already.  
  
"Hey, Dr. Campbell is a very lovely women. She's actually a lot like you Dr. Stowe. She plays by the rules but occasionally throws the doctor handbook out the window when I convince her to."  
  
"That does not sound like me Delgado!"  
  
"Wow, now you sound like her! She always calls people by their last names."  
  
"Right."  
  
"Anyway, Peter loves Marc though. And he said that he loved me but..I don't know anymore Dana."  
  
"Aww Lu. I'm glad I caught you at a good time in your life." She said sarcastically.  
  
"Yeah, but it feels good to talk to somebody new..well...old.you know what I mean!"  
  
"Haha! It's good to talk to you to Lu." Lana walked into the office.  
  
"Lu, Dr. Jackson needs to speak with you right now in his office."  
  
"Oh boy, what did I do now?"  
  
"Huh?" Dana asked confused on the other side of the phone.  
  
"Oh, Dr. Jackson needs to talk to me now. I'm gonna have to talk to you later ok?"  
  
"Oh, what did you do now?"  
  
"That's what I want to know. I'll talk to you later Dana."  
  
"See ya Lu." Lu hung up the phone and headed out of her office while looking at Lana and talking to her about her conversation with Dana.  
  
***  
  
That night Andy was driving home at seven fifty-five and remembered the message she got earlier.  
  
"Listen to your radio at eight o'clock on 102.3." She repeated to herself. Andy thought about it for a minute and then flipped the radio station to 102.3. After a few minutes of just driving she looked at her watch. "It's eight o'clock." Andy stopped the car at a red light and listened closer to the radio. Back at Rittenhouse, Lana grabbed Lu and they both sat down and turned on their radio to 102.3 to listen to whatever was going to happen.  
  
"And we're back with more requests. Let's see..we have another great song for you and after we will talk with the man who request this song and why. Here's 'When I Fall In Love' By Nat King Cole." The voice on the radio disappeared and the music started to play.  
  
"Maybe I'm old-fashioned  
  
Feeling like I do.  
  
Maybe I am living in the past.  
  
But when I meet the right one,  
  
I know that I'll be true.  
  
My first love will be my last.  
  
When I fall in love,  
  
It will be forever  
  
Or I'll never fall in love.  
  
In a restless world like this is,  
  
Love is ended before it's begun  
  
And too many moonlight kisses  
  
Seem to cool in the warmth of the sun.  
  
When I give my heart,  
  
It will be completely  
  
Or I'll never give my heart.  
  
And the moment I can feel that  
  
You feel that way, too,  
  
Is when I fall in love with you.  
  
When I give my heart,  
  
It will be completely  
  
Or I'll never give my heart.  
  
And the moment I can feel that  
  
You feel that way, too,  
  
Is when I fall in love with you."  
  
'I love Nat King Cole.' Andy thought to herself while driving down the road, ten minutes from her home.  
  
"So that was Nat King Cole's 'When I Fall In Love.' One of our classics that everybody's gotta love. And here we have on the line the man who requested this song. Mr. Les Campbell." Andy's jaw dropped and she pulled over on the side of the road to listen to the radio. Lu and Lana stared at the radio in shock. "So Les, tell us, who was this lovely song dedicated to?"  
  
"Well, this song is for my ex-wife, Andy Campbell...truth is, I still love her and I need her. I want my first love to be my last. She was a my first love and I want her to be my last."  
  
"Well, you heard him ladies and gentlemen...so Andy, if you're out there then why not give this guy a second chance huh? Thank you Les for talking with us and I hope you have a lovely evening and I hope that you get the girl you're after." Andy pushed the power off button on her radio and sat in shock.  
  
^~^~^~^~^~^ 


	16. Mixed Feelings

Me: Finally I'm back with Chapter 19! You guys have waited long enough for this chapter and I'm just putting the finishing touches on it so I can post it, this includes typing it. Anyway, in this chapter, you will finally get some answers from Peter, I hope that makes you happy. By the way, I don't own the character..see you after everybody.  
  
  
  
After a few more minutes of sitting in total shock, Andy re-adjusted her seatbelt and put her car back into drive. Ten minutes later, she pulled up to her house and turned the car off. Before getting out, she sighed a few times and looked around to see if Les's car was anywhere in site.  
  
'Please don't let him be here.' She thought. As she opened the front door she saw Lizzy asleep on the couch and heard Jessie in the kitchen. She made her way to the kitchen, checking around each corner, making sure Les wasn't there. When Jessie saw her mother walk in she quickly covered the paper she was writing on. Andy noticed it and got suspicious. "What are you doing?" She asked.  
  
"Umm..nothing. Just finishing some stuff."  
  
"What kind of stuff?"  
  
"Just homework."  
  
"Why am I not believing that?"  
  
"Mom, it's nothing."  
  
"Then let me see it." Andy held out her hand for the paper hidden under Jessie's arm, but Jessie didn't move. "Jessica Campbell, hand it over." Jessie sighed and then handed her mom the paper. Andy looked at it as Jessie frowned and waited impatiently for her mother's response. Andy didn't say anything for awhile.  
  
"Now would be a good time to say something." Jessie mumbled quietly. Andy just looked at her daughter, then threw the paper on the table and headed for the stairs.  
  
"I'll be upstairs. Put your sister to bed for me." Andy climbed the stairs as Jessie stared at her confused. When she got to her bathroom she turned on the hot water in the tub and then looked in the mirror while taking off her clothes. "How can this be happening to me?" She asked the mirror hoping for an answer. When there was no response and the bathtub was full of water, she sighed and stepped into it. The hot water felt good on her skin and she was slightly relaxed from it. Scene's from the day flashed through her memory, her semi-fight with Milo, the song on the radio, Jessie's paper. Downstairs there was a knock at the door and Jessie opened it to find an unhappy Milo.  
  
"Hey Jess, is your mom here?"  
  
"Yeah, she's upstairs."  
  
"Thanks." Milo stepped inside and headed up the stairs and to Andy's bedroom. When she got there, he saw the bathroom door cracked and her clothes lying on the floor. Because of the disagreement they had earlier, he decided to knock first.  
  
"Jessie, I really don't want to talk about it right now." Andy responded to the knock.  
  
"It's not Jessie, but I do want to talk." Andy jumped when she discovered it was really Milo. "Can I come in?"  
  
"Hold on." She said and got out of the bathtub and then grabbed her robe. After quickly drying off and covering herself she opened the door. "Hi."  
  
"Hi." Milo looked in her eyes. "Look, Andy. I'm sorry for jumping to conclusions the way that I did today. It was wrong of me."  
  
"No Milo. I was wrong. I lied to you." Andy made her way to her bed and sat down.  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"When I said that 'nothing' happened, I didn't really mean 'nothing.'"  
  
"Oh." Milo fell silent and was still standing by the bathroom. "What happened?"  
  
"Well, last night was awkward at first, but then Les and I got more comfortable with each other."  
  
"What kind of comfortable?"  
  
"Not like that. We were talking some and then we kind of stopped and looked at each other."  
  
"Looked at each other?"  
  
"He was staring into my eyes and I was staring back."  
  
"Oh." He said again.  
  
"But then I asked him to leave because it got too weird." Milo nodded and sat down next to her. "And then there was tonight."  
  
"Tonight?" Andy nodded in response. "What happened tonight? Did he hurt you?!"  
  
"No! No hurting was involved. He." Andy hesitated again. "There's really no easy way to put this." He looked at her, worried about what she was about to tell him. "He confessed that he still loved me, threw a song on the radio."  
  
"What?" Milo stood up now.  
  
"I was just as surprised as you are right now." Milo fell silent again and started pacing in her room. "I know it sounds crazy, but it happened. He dedicated 'When I Fall In Love' to be tonight."  
  
"That's one of your favorite songs."  
  
"I know, and I don't know what I'm going to do."  
  
"Well, how do you feel?"  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"I mean, how.how do you feel about him?" Andy didn't respond and just looked at her hands, which were clutched tightly to her robe. "Andy?"  
  
"I don't know Milo."  
  
"You don't know?!" Andy's breath increased and she was on the verge of tears. Milo looked around the room and then at her. "Fine."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Fine." He hesitated. "I want you to think about this. Think about what you're giving up for that bastard of an ex-husband Andy."  
  
"Milo. I just need some time."  
  
"Well, you're going to have plenty of it. I'm leaving." He headed for the door.  
  
"Wait!"  
  
"What?!" He yelled at her now, pissed as ever.  
  
"I...I just need time. Can I come talk to you about this later?" She begged in one last chance to save herself from disaster.  
  
"Yes, you can come. But I can't guarantee that I'll be there waiting for you." Andy stopped breathing for a few seconds as tears rolled down her eyes and Milo ran down the stairs and out the front door. She called after him but it was no use, he was gone. A couple of minutes later, Jessie came up the stairs guiding her half-asleep sister.  
  
"Mom?-"  
  
"I don't want to even deal with you right now. Put your sister to bed and then go to your room." She interrupted Jessie and then slammed her bedroom door as more tears exploded from her eyes.  
  
***  
  
The next morning Lu and Lana waited very impatiently for Andy to come into work. Even though she was over thirty minutes late, they still waited. When she finally did walk into the clinic, her outfit was tidy as usual but her face looked like she was miserable, which she was. Instead of her usual nod to Lana and smile to Lu, she didn't greet them at all and just walked into her office. Lu and Lana tried to look normal when she came back out but it wasn't very convincing.  
  
"Life couldn't get any worse." Andy said while grabbing a patient's folder from Lana's hand.  
  
"Dr. Campbell, you look...tired." Lana said.  
  
"Ugh, I hate when people say that. It's just a polite was of telling someone they look like shit." She responded while flipping through the folder.  
  
"Are you ok?" Lu asked with a concerned voice.  
  
"What do you think Delgado?"  
  
"I think something happened last night."  
  
"Actually, a lot of things happened last night. Knowing the both of you like I do, I'm sure you were listening to the radio." Lana tried to object but Andy didn't let her. "Well, Milo came over to talk and I decided that I should tell him what happened. So I did, and he asked me how I felt about Les."  
  
"What did you say?"  
  
"I said I didn't know and that I needed time to think about it. Of course, that only made him even more upset and basically said that if I came to talk to him, that he wouldn't...wouldn't be there to respond to me." Andy fought back the tears by trying to concentrate on the folder.  
  
"Oh no." Lana stated under her breath. "What are you going to do?" Andy shrugged and paused for a moment.  
  
"For the first time in a really long time, I am more confused and scared than I ever have been." She paused. "And to top it all off. I also found out last night that my daughter Jessie has been writing love letters to your son Delgado." Lu went wide-eyed.  
  
"WHAT?!" Her and Lana said together.  
  
"Yep. Life couldn't get any worse." She noted to them and then walked away.  
  
"This cannot be happening." Lu stated to Lana as Andy walked away.  
  
"What cannot be happening?" Peter asked from behind them and Lu jumped surprised. Then she gave him an evil look. "Is everything ok here?"  
  
"I can't believe you have the nerve to care now, and not before." She said to him.  
  
"Oh god." Lana mumbled under her breath. Peter shrugged and Lu stormed off.  
  
"What's with her?" He asked.  
  
"You're breaking her heart. That's what's with her." She said calmly.  
  
"What are you talking about?"  
  
"Peter. Wake up and smell the coffee." Peter looked down at the coffee cup in his hand and then lifted and smelt it. Lana gave him a smart-ass look and continued. "What I want to know, is what's up with you?"  
  
"Me?"  
  
"Yeah, you." Lana pointed to him. "That's my best friend you're tampering with."  
  
"News flash, she's not only by girlfriend but she's also my best friend to."  
  
"Then stop acting like a complete ass!!" Lana raised her voice but then lowered it when she got a few glances from strangers in the clinic. "Peter? What has gotten into you? You went instantly from this young, wonderful, nature man to a mysterious, dark, and evil stranger. Now, I want some answers and I want them now."  
  
"I don't think I should be discussing this with you Lana." She sighed.  
  
"You're right. You should be discussing this with me, you should be discussing it with Lu. Go talk to her!"  
  
"Ok, I'm going." Peter gave Lana one last glance and went to find Lu.  
  
"Ugh! Acting like a bunch of teenagers. When is everybody going to grow up a little. I swear, I got to do everything myself. Lana's got to fix everything just because she's Lana." She mumbled before getting back to her computer work.  
  
***  
  
Peter slowly made his way down the hallway and to Lu's office to find that she wasn't there. When he went to check in the cafeteria, she was no where in site. Finally, he thought she should check the garden, so he grabbed his coat and headed out there. Just as he had suspected, she was out there, smelling all the flowers.  
  
"Lu, what are you doing out here?"  
  
"You're not the only one who finds this garden peaceful.." She responded with her back to him.  
  
"We should talk."  
  
"You think?" Lu turned around to face him. "I just want to know what's going on with you lately."  
  
"I know, and I'm sorry."  
  
"You should be." Peter put down his coffee on the table next to him and got closer to where she was standing.  
  
"Lu, you have to know, that no matter what happens, I will always be your friend."  
  
"Just a friend?" She asked. "Is there somebody else?"  
  
"Sort of..." He sighed. "My mother."  
  
"What?"  
  
"This is really hard to do, but I'm moving to Nevada." Lu's jaw dropped to the ground when she heard his words. "That's where my mother is. She's sick Lu. So I'm going there to live with her...until..she passes on." Lu didn't say anything for awhile.  
  
"How long does she have to live?"  
  
"Not more than four to five months. And even if she does live that long, I still have to stay awhile longer to get everything settled.  
  
"What's wrong with her?" She asked quietly, paying her respects.  
  
"Lung cancer. I told her not to smoke those cigarettes but didn't listen. It's taking her fast."  
  
"I'm sorry."  
  
"It's ok. You know me, I wasn't that close to my mother." Lu turned away from him again and went back to the flowers.  
  
"I know this may be rude, but none of what you're telling me explains the tux and the fancy hair that night I left to visit Marc. Or that weekend I didn't speak with you."  
  
"Well, the tux was because my mom had called me earlier that week and said she was coming into town. I wanted to look nice for our dinner date because I hadn't seen her in so long. When she didn't show up I got worried and called her apartment in Nevada. And when nobody answered there I called some of her friends and they told me that she had collapsed at the airport and was in the hospital. So I got the first flight out of here and went to see her. I got back Sunday night, just in time for work the next day." Lu took in his story.  
  
"What about that phone call?"  
  
"The phone call was with my mother. She was sending one of her friends to meet with me about the arrangements of moving and everything and she wanted me to look nice." Lu still didn't face him. "You wanted explanations and answers Lu. You got them."  
  
"The ones you gave me are certainly better then the ones that I was expecting, if that's possible." They got quiet for awhile. "When are you leaving?"  
  
"About two weeks." Lu finally turned around again and looked at him.  
  
"That's right before Christmas." She stated quietly.  
  
"I know. I wanted to be in Nevada so I could have one last holiday with her." He said referring to his mother.  
  
"Peter, I don't want to seem selfish, but.what about us?" She asked worried about his answer. "Nevada is a long way away."  
  
"Do you think a long distance relationship would work for us?" Lu looked at the ground and thought about it for a minute.  
  
"No." A tear rolled down her cheek.  
  
"You think we should just stay friends?" She shrugged.  
  
"What do you think?"  
  
"That you're right. Long distance relationships are most likely really hard and we shouldn't put ourselves through that." More tears burst from Lu's eyes but she wiped them away quickly. "I never wanted to hurt you."  
  
"I know." Peter picked up his coffee to leave. "So, friends?" She asked and stuck out her hand to shake his. He nodded and pulled her in for a hug before leaving.  
  
Ten minutes later, Lu found herself at Lana's desk explaining what happened.  
  
"Sweetie, I am so sorry." Lana stood up and hugged her friend.  
  
"I just..I don't see why it always has to be me."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Why was I the one who had to get raped, and then have Mickey shot in front of me, and now this?" She asked tears rolling down her face. "I just don't understand why there are more bad things in my life then there are good, Lana."  
  
"There aren't. Don't think like that. You have me, and you have Marc. And even though things didn't work out between you and Peter, you're still friends because you always have been. You have this clinic, you have your dream." Lu wiped away her tears and looked around. There were no patients in the clinic at the moment so it was just her and Lana. "Lu, you have a lot of good things in your life, and the bad things only happen so you can learn from them."  
  
"Learn from them?"  
  
"Yeah, you know. God works in mysterious ways." Lu chuckled slightly at her friend and hugged her again.  
  
"Thanks Lana. You're a good friend."  
  
***  
  
That night Andy stayed at the clinic late in fear of going home and having to face Les. Patients had come and gone throughout the day but her shift was over so she sat in her office thinking. Lu and Lana sat in the deserted waiting room talking. When the phone rang, Lana answered it.  
  
"RWHC, Lana speaking, how can I help you?" Lu got up and walked to the desk in case it was for her. "Ok.yeah sweetheart no problem, she's in her office...I'll go get her right now." Lana put the phone down and walked into Andy's office. "Dr. Campbell, Lizzy's on the phone." Andy nodded and picked up the phone on her desk as Lana went back outside the office.  
  
"Hello?"  
  
"Hi Mom."  
  
"Hi Lizzy, is everything ok?"  
  
"Yes." Her youngest daughter responded.  
  
"What's Jessie up to?"  
  
"She's been her room since school got out. Didn't even come down for dinner."  
  
"Really? What about your father? Is he there?"  
  
"No, he dropped me off after we went out for dinner and said he had some work to do."  
  
"Oh, ok."  
  
"Well, I was just getting ready to go to bed and I called to say goodnight."  
  
"Ok, I'll be home shortly. Goodnight honey."  
  
"I love you Mom."  
  
"I love you to Lizzy."  
  
"Goodnight." Lizzy made a kiss noise on the other side of the phone as Andy did the same and then hung up. Next, the extremely exhausted doctor gathered her belongings and headed out of her office, car keys clutched in her hand.  
  
"Calling it a night?" Lana asked from her desk.  
  
"Yeah. At least I am here. I have to go home and talk to Jessie."  
  
"Andy." Lu said.  
  
"Yes."  
  
"I know Marc wouldn't be your favorite candidate for your daughters boyfriend, but-" Andy put her hand up to stop Lu from talking.  
  
"Delgado, your son is a wonderful young man and any girl would be lucky to have him. You raised him very well. He's not the problem, Jessie is."  
  
"Oh, thank you. But, if Marc wasn't in the picture, would you still be made at her?"  
  
"I'm not made at her. I just wish she would talk to me. She grew up too fast."  
  
"They tend to do that."  
  
"I know, which is why I'm not going to waste time fighting with her. There's no need."  
  
"You can say that again." Lana butted in. "Take it from somebody who knows. Spend as much time with your kids as you can, they're gone before you know it." All three women took in the words and were silent.  
  
"So, we're ok?" Lu asked after awhile.  
  
"We always were Delgado. I'll see you ladies tomorrow." Andy tried to form a smile but it didn't work so she just turned and left the clinic.  
  
When she arrived at her house, the lights were out and the front door was locked. After going through the downstairs making sure everything was turned off, she headed to Jessie's room upstairs, and knocked on the door.  
  
"Come in." Jessie said. When Andy opened the door, she found complete darkness.  
  
"Why are the lights off? Were you sleeping?"  
  
"No, just sitting here in the dark. Thinking."  
  
"Sounds like fun, may I join you?"  
  
"If you want." Andy walked into the room and left the door open to have a little light from the hallway. She then sat down next to her seventeen-year- old daughter on the bed.  
  
"Lizzy told me that you've been up here all night and you didn't even eat dinner."  
  
"I wasn't hungry." Jessie responded plainly.  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"Because I wasn't." Andy sighed.  
  
"Jessie, I know I haven't always been there when you've needed me, but I wish you would just talk to me." Andy waited for a response.  
  
"I broke up with Brian today. That's why I'm not very hungry." Andy's mouth slightly opened at the response that she did get. It was what she thought it would be.  
  
"Why did you do that?"  
  
"It wasn't working out Mom. Plus, I like somebody else."  
  
"I figured that from the letter you were writing last night. Did you mail it?" Jessie paused but then answered quickly, thinking things couldn't get any worse anyway.  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Good."  
  
"What?" She asked surprised at her mother's reaction.  
  
"I'm glad you mailed it."  
  
"But, I don't understand. Marc's in rehab for doing drugs."  
  
"Everybody makes mistakes. His was bigger then most but he's getting help for it. Besides, I don't know him as a drug addict. I know him as one of my good friends lovely, young son and my daughters knew love interest."  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Yes, really. Just be careful sweetie. Love hurts." Andy adjusted her position on Jessie's bed and stared into the darkness.  
  
"Mom?"  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Are you still going to get married to Milo?"  
  
"I don't know." A tear rolled down her cheek and Jessie heard a few sobs come from her.  
  
"What happened?"  
  
"It's a long story Jessie."  
  
"You can tell me. I told you mine." Jessie moved her hand into her mothers and smiled even though Andy couldn't see it. So, Andy started telling the story and when she finished, they both heard footsteps outside in the hallway. Seconds later, Lizzy entered the room.  
  
"Lizzy it's late. What are you doing still awake?"  
  
"Waiting for you."  
  
"I'm sorry honey. Come here." Jessie and Andy moved over on the bed to make room for the third Campbell women. Eventually they both fell asleep in Andy's arms. "I love you girls. And I'm always going to be here for you." Andy kissed the top of Jessie's head. "Nothings going to take you away from me. Nothing." Then she kissed the top of Lizzy's head and sat back and closed her eyes. The only noise she could here was the wind outside and the sounds of her two daughter's heavy breathing as they slept in her arms.  
  
  
  
Me: *Tear, tear.* That was so sweet. Hope everybody liked it. Can't wait for you guys to see what's going to happen next.  
  
*Dude who does the previews for the All New Strong Medicine episodes appears.*  
  
Dude: Coming soon to fanfiction..Chapter 20 of Chaos At Rittenhouse. Will Andy and Milo make up? Will Peter really leave Lu behind? Will Marc respond to Jessie's love letter? And will Lana ever get a man??!  
  
Me: That last one was a joke, I hope.  
  
Dude: Yeah..  
  
Me: Good, maybe she will, maybe she won't. You'll just have to stay tuned. I'm outtie everyone. Reviews are welcome of course. Adios amigos!!! 


	17. Thoughts: Part 1

Me: Hey everybody. I am so sorry that it has taken me so long to get this chapter written and posted. I had major writer's block for the past two to three weeks and I had no idea what this chapter was going to end up being like, until like three days ago. I got a lightbulb that night and I haven't stopped writing since! It's pretty long which is why I might have to divide it into two parts. Hope you like it.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Andy's eyes jolted open. It took her a few seconds to focus them to the semi-light coming in from the windows. Jessie and Lizzy were still asleep on both her sides and as she looked at her watch, she realized it was earlier then when she would usually wake up. Then she remembered why she had jolted awake. She had been dreaming, but she couldn't remember what about. It had been a long time since a dream had woken her. The feeling in the dream still sat in her mind. It was a mixed feeling: half felt like she was alone and the other half felt glad. She couldn't figure out whether the glad feeling was because she had woken up or if it was something in her dream. Instead of pondering the question, she pushed it to the back of her mind and carefully got out of the bed, not waking Jessie or Lizzy. Andy made her way to her own bedroom and grabbed her work out clothes. Exercising always cleared her head and helped her think things through. When her marriage failed after twenty-five years, she went jogging, and when Jessie ran away to her father in California, she found herself doing pull ups on the bar hung on her closest door. And whenever a patient died, which was sometimes often, or when she had to make tough choices, she exercised. It had always been a procedure of the military and now it was a procedure of hers. Since now that Jessie was nearly eighteen, Andy figured she could let the girls stay at the house by themselves while she went to the park for a jog. After that, she came home and jumped in the shower. The water hit her skin at a fast pace when she didn't have much time because she jogged an extra mile. For some reason, she didn't feel like she would be able to help people much today. Probably because she felt has if she needed to help herself first, and she didn't mean medically. Corrina got there earlier also and started making breakfast while Andy woke the girls. It was a usual morning schedule except nobody was all that happy.  
  
"Ok, I'm going to work now." Andy said while walking out of the kitchen. "Girls, do well in school today. Behave. Thank you Corrina for cooking."  
  
"No problem Dr. Campbell." She answered from the kitchen.  
  
"Mom?!" Jessie ran into the hallway, the sound of hurry in her voice. "If Dr. Delgado says anything about Marc, will you tell me?"  
  
"Jessie, you just sent the letter yesterday. I doubt he's gotten it already."  
  
"Please? Just in case?"  
  
"Fine." She said quickly and headed for the front door.  
  
"Wait, mom." Andy turned back around and Jessie hugged her. "Thanks."  
  
"You're welcome." She ran her fingers through Jessie's hair and kissed the top of her head. "See you tonight." She walked out the door and to her car. Fifteen minutes later she parked in her spot at work and headed into Rittenhouse. "Good morning Hawkins."  
  
"Is it doctor?" Lana asked but Andy didn't respond. Instead she started towards her office. When she opened the door, she could hear that something was behind it. It was too light to be a person, but there was definitely something there. Lana's head jerked in Andy's direction when she heard her gasp loudly. The entire office was filled with red, heart-shaped balloons.  
  
"Wow! Dr. Campbell." Lana said walking to her now. Andy stood there and stared with her jaw dropped and eyes wide. "Who's the guy? The rich guy."  
  
"You tell me?"  
  
"You mean, you don't know who-"Lana pointed to the clutter of redness.  
  
"Hawkins, has anybody been in my office since I left last night?"  
  
"Not that I've seen." She responded.  
  
"Well, somebody must have been here?!"  
  
"Dr. Campbell, I'm sorry, but shouldn't this be a good surprise?"  
  
"Not if it's from the wrong person!" Andy answered while slowly walking into her office, avoiding the balloons. "Help me look for a note or something."  
  
"Here's a note." Lana said picking up the note after she had made her way around the office looking for it. Andy slowly took it from her, hesitating about whom it was from, while Lana waited impatiently to find out the same answer. Andy's eyes scammed the short note many times before she said anything. "Well?" Lana asked. Andy looked around at the cluster of expensive balloons and then back at Lana.  
  
"They're from.......the wrong person."  
  
***  
  
"On my count-"Andy said grabbing the stretcher on one side of the emergency room.  
  
"One, two, and-"Lu yelled over all the commotion, opposite the side of the emergency room that Andy was on. Both doctors were called down there at the same times for two different patients. Andy's patient was a twelve-year-old girl that had just had a physical done the day before and now she was back because of a tragic car accident. Both Lu and Andy worked along side emergency medicine nurses and other doctors in the fight to save their patients lives and both the heart monitors stopped beeping at the same times. Andy grabbed the EKG pedals and had them juiced, while Lu did the same.  
  
"Charge to 150." Andy ordered.  
  
"Charged."  
  
"Clear." Lu yelled and zapped her patient, a thirty-year-old women suffering from a car accident also.  
  
(A/N: If you haven't caught this by now, Andy and Lu are finishing each other's sentences. Flashing back and forth from Andy to Lu. Kind of like they do in the show sometimes.)  
  
The monitor still rang solid. "Charge to 200." Lu said.  
  
"Charged."  
  
"Clear." Andy shouted. There was still no heartbeat in either of the females. "Charge to 250."  
  
"Charged."  
  
"Clear." Lu said at one last attempt to save another life. Both doctors sighed deeply and looked at the clock in the middle of the room.  
  
"Time of death: 11:45 AM." They said at the same time. Andy walked away, giving one last glance at the dead little girl. Her mother sat a while away getting her arm and head bandaged from driving one of the car that had been in the wreck. There was a police officer standing near her, obviously waiting to talk to her about it. When he gave up because the doctor wouldn't let him he walked to Andy. Lu was also walking in her direction.  
  
"Dr. Campbell?" They asked at the same time. Andy looked at Lu first but then Lu realized that the police officer wanted to speak with her so she let him.  
  
"Dr. Campbell?"  
  
"Yes." Andy answered, expecting nothing but bad news.  
  
"I've been informed that you were in charge of helping a young girl that needed severe medical attention."  
  
"Yes, she was in need of severe medical attention but it wasn't enough. She didn't make it." Andy looked back at the mother and then to Lu who gave a look of sympathy back.  
  
"The girl's name was-"  
  
"Allison Baker. She was my patient. Her and her mother."  
  
"Her mother also? What can you tell me about Ms. Baker?"  
  
"She's a very nice women who's been through a rough divorce. I can relate to her greatly, not only with the divorce but with the child also."  
  
"So you wouldn't consider her a murderer?"  
  
"WHAT?! NO! Of course not!" Andy stated like he was crazy. "What happened?"  
  
"A car accident."  
  
"I know that. Wait, was she the person at fault?" Andy asked and the police officer nodded. "Oh god." Andy looked at the mother again with great sympathy and felt like she was going to cry. Her patient just lost her daughter and now she was going to be blamed for it.  
  
"I have great sympathy for her, but I do have to do my job. Do you know where I can find a Dr. Delgado?"  
  
"Um...here." Lu said standing beside Andy. Apparently her nametag was flipped upside down in all the chaos of the ER. She realized this and flipped it back over and showed it to him.  
  
"I've been informed that you were in charge of giving severe medical attention also to another women named-"  
  
"Erin Lock." Lu finished his sentence now realizing that both their patients were in the same car accident. Andy did to and sighed. She didn't need this now.  
  
"Yes, let's see.-"  
  
"She was the sister of my patient, and she didn't make it either." Lu said in a sad tone. Andy looked at her and couldn't believe it.  
  
"Dr. Campbell?! We need you over here!" Nick yelled in her direction. He was holding down a patient who was frantically trying to get away from them. Andy ran to them and realized it wasn't a patient of hers.  
  
"What is it? This isn't a patient of mine."  
  
"Remember that time when you replaced a broken heart and lung machine with a kidney dialysis machine in order to save a little girls life? Well, similar situation. Look around, Dr. Campbell, there are no damn EKG machines and this girl is going nuts on me. Please, help." As Nick said this, the women dropped still on the bed, and stopped breathing. He let go of the women's torso and grabbed the oxygen mask. Andy quickly pumped her hands on the women's chest and then checked to see if she was breathing.  
  
"Find an EKG machine STAT!" She ordered to a nurse. After three attempts of CPR, Andy looked around and there was still no EKG machine in sight. "Damnit." She did the CPR once more but it was no use. She shook her head to Nick and he sighed. "Call it Biancavilla."  
  
"Time of death: 12 PM." Andy walked away from Nick and the dead women that she didn't even know. She saw the police officer she had been talking to earlier and he was breaking the news to Ms. Baker. Immediately tears were streaming down the mother's face as the police officer patted her back and Andy watched from a distance.  
  
***  
  
After a ten-hour shift and with the help of Lu and Lana, Andy managed to shove as many balloons in her car as possible. Most of them, not being able to fit, were popped and thrown away. When Andy got home, she brought them in the house one by one and threw them in the living room. After the last one was in the house she shut the front door and took off her coat just as Jessie bolted down the stairs and Corrina and Lizzy came out from the kitchen.  
  
"Whoa! Mom! What's with the balloons?"  
  
"That would be your father's doing."  
  
"These are from Dad?" Lizzy asked shocked. Andy nodded and sighed at all the balloons.  
  
"I wish I could have seen your face when you got them." Corrina said.  
  
"Believe me, no you don't."  
  
"This not a good thing?" The foreign housekeeper/friend asked.  
  
"Not at the moment, no. Les is sweet to go to all this trouble but this is just too much right now." The other's nodded, and then they were all quiet, just looking at the massive amount of red-heart shaped balloons. "Listen, Corrina, you can go if you want, I got off early compared to any other night."  
  
"But I have to finish laundry and dinner."  
  
"I'll do it, don't worry about it. Besides, it'll get my mind off of things."  
  
"But isn't that what you don't want to do? You said yourself you needed to think about this." Jessie commented. Andy kicked one of the balloons and sighed.  
  
Later that evening, after dinner and the girls were in their room doing homework and getting ready for bed, Andy was finishing up the laundry. She had a basket full of unfolded, clean, dry clothes while walking up the stairs to lay out the clothing and fold it on her bed. Piece my piece, they got folded. T-shirts of hers, skirts of Jessie's, jeans of Lizzy's, and then she unexpectedly pulled out a sweatshirt that she knew wasn't any of theirs. It took her a few flips and stares to finally realize it was Milo's. Andy sank to her bed and clenched the sweatshirt to her chest. Even though it had been washed, she could still imagine his scent on it and this really made her think, which is what she had been procrastinating about all day.  
  
***  
  
The next day, Andy was late for work again. That seemed to be happening more frequently now then in the past. Dr. Jackson walked up to where they all usually stood during the day when not busy, which was at Lana's desk.  
  
"Dr. Campbell? May I speak with you?" He asked.  
  
"Of course." Andy replied and they walked into her office. "What is it?"  
  
"I was monitoring the ER yesterday." Andy sighed and felt she need to sit down for this. "Three patients of yours died in there yesterday. I can tell when my employee's lives are effecting their working environment and yours is being effected. Now I don't really know what is going on in your personal affairs but I'm thinking it has to do with men. I'm not asking you to talk to me about it but if you do need to talk, I'm here."  
  
"Thank you Bob."  
  
"But-"Andy looked at him anxiously. "I'm going to have to ask Dr. Delgado to cover all your calls in the ER."  
  
"What?"  
  
"It's for the best, Dr. Campbell. You're not your usual self when working and we can't afford to have patients dropping like flies the way they have been around you lately." Andy sat in shock. So much drama in her life at the moment was really getting to her. After a few seconds of silence the phone rang and Andy picked it up.  
  
"Hello?"  
  
"Dr. Campbell, your daughter is on line one."  
  
"Thank you." Andy pushed the button on the telephone to switch to line one. "Hello? Yeah.....yeah......yeah......" Dr. Jackson figured this was going to take a minute so he pulled up a chair and waited. "Ok...........Are there going to be parents there?.......Jessie, you know how I feel about that.........I know you're seventeen but-...........who?.....who is Sarah and Allyi....twins?.......since when?..........listen, can we talk about this later please?......now?!..........Jes-.....you know what fine, go......just be careful......no drinking, no drugs, you know the deal......yes......what time?........uh, no try again.......that's better....ok...I'll see you when I see you sweetie......bye." Andy hung up the phone and looked back at Dr. Jackson.  
  
"What was that about?"  
  
"Jessie wants to go to a party tonight with two of her friends."  
  
"Ahh.....my daughter's going through that period too...meeting boys, kissing boys, and I'm waiting with my gun when she comes home from dates with boys." Andy laughed and shook her head as he stood up to leave. "So, I'm sorry Andy but no Emergency Room for you right now." She nodded in respect even though she wanted to scream at him. "Thank you for being understanding about this." Dr. Jackson opened the door and left. A deep sigh emerged from her body and she kicked the side of the desk.  
  
"Damnit!"  
  
***  
  
Jessie searched through her closet, throwing random items of clothing out of it and on the floor. The doorbell rang downstairs and Corrina answered it. Within seconds, Sarah and Allyi, the twins, were standing in Jessie's room. Allyi was wearing a short, low-cut, red dress with black, fancy sandals. Her dark brown hair was wavy and up in a slack ponytail, with two strands hanging down on the sides of her well made up face. Her twin sister, Sarah, was wearing an identical dress, except hers was blue. Her dark brown hair was down and semi-curly, and she had on the same sandals.  
  
"Why aren't you ready?"  
  
"I don't know what to wear! Help!"  
  
"Ok." The twins said at the same time and then started going through Jessie's closet.  
  
"How about this?" Allyi held up a blue, jean, ruffle skirt.  
  
"And this?" Sarah held up a black tank top.  
  
"With these?" Allyi held up a pair of black sandals that were similar to theirs.  
  
"And this. Have to have this." Sarah handed Jessie a western looking belt that had strings hanging down in a slant. The twins assembled the outfit on the bed. "It's sweet."  
  
"And simple." Allyi added.  
  
"Perfect!" They said together.  
  
"Now, go change." Sarah said and handed the entire outfit to her. Jessie took the clothing and walked into the bathroom. Ten minutes later they were all downstairs getting their coats.  
  
"Ok, so, who's designated driver?"  
  
"Designated driver?"  
  
"Yeah, duh, Jess, we can't all drink tonight. That wouldn't be safe."  
  
"Oh, right. I guess I'll be it. You guys look like you really want to party." Jessie said, covering herself up for not wanting to drink.  
  
"Sweet, let's go." Allyi said and opened the front door. The three female teenagers climbed into Jessie's new car that her dad gave her when he moved back. When they arrived at the place the party was at, it wasn't what Jessie expected. The lights were dim disco lights and the music was loud enough to make her eardrums burst open. The twins automatically started dancing and Jessie followed them. Through three back to back songs, the girls danced. Sometimes with each other, sometimes in a group, and then Sarah and Allyi found two guys to dance with and Jessie was left by herself. Instead of looking like an idiot, she went to the kitchen to get something to drink.  
  
"Hey, want a beer?" A very cute guy asked her at the drink table, which was also considered the kitchen counter.  
  
"Oh, no thanks. I'm the designated driver tonight."  
  
"Well, do you want some water or something? I saw you hitting it pretty hard there on the dance floor." He said with a smile, which she found cuter then he was.  
  
"Yeah. I do. Thanks." The guy handed her a bottle of water. He was slightly taller than she was and pretty well built. His hair was a dark blonde and he had green eyes, like her.  
  
"What's your name, designated driver?"  
  
"Jessie. You?"  
  
"Chase."  
  
"Nice to meet you Chase." He smiled again and she could feel nervous knots in her stomach.  
  
"Do you feel like dancing again Jessie?"  
  
"Sure, I'd love to." He led her back to the dance floor right as a slow song started came on. She sighed and he pulled her closer to him. Sarah and Allyi were now standing in the kitchen, beers in their hands, and smiling at her. When the song was over, a loud rap song came on next and they danced to it to. Once that was over he pulled her aside from everybody else.  
  
"It's loud in here!"  
  
"What?" Jessie strained to hear him.  
  
"I said it's loud in here!" He said into her ear this time, and she nodded in agreement.  
  
"Let's go outside, I'm hot."  
  
"I know you are." He remarked and made her laugh as they headed for the front door. She didn't have her coat on so she was now standing in the middle of November in a short skirt and tank top. "Ok, that's better." They paused and she looked around. "So, pretty girl like you got a boyfriend?"  
  
"No. I just dumped my boyfriend a couple of day ago." She laughed nervously.  
  
"Oh, sorry. I shouldn't have brought it up."  
  
"No, it's ok. You didn't know. So, how old are you?" She asked, quickly changing the subject.  
  
"Why do you ask?"  
  
"Just curious."  
  
"I'm nineteen." He told her. "How old are you?"  
  
"Seventeen"  
  
"So you're still in high school?" He asked and she nodded in response.  
  
"I'm in my senior year. God, I can't wait to graduate. Do you go to college?"  
  
"No, I never even finished high school."  
  
"Oh, you didn't?" She asked curiously and he shook his head.  
  
"That doesn't turn you off does it?"  
  
"Who said I was ever turned on?" She asked in a flirty way. He smiled that cute smile she couldn't resist and their eyes locked with each other's. Chase moved in closer to her until his lips were inches away from hers. Finally, after a few hesitation moments, they met for a nice simple kiss that got deeper and deeper. Both could see their breath in the cold after they broke away. "Is it hotter out here or is it just me?" He smiled at her, then grabbed her hand and led her around the back of the house. "Where are we going?"  
  
"You'll see." They snuck through the side garage door, in the house ,and up the back stairs to a small room over the garage. In the room were two big couches with a table in between and there were four people sitting on them. "Everybody, this is Jessie." There was two other guys and two other girls and Jessie assumed they were couples. "Jessie, this is Eric." Chase pointed to one guy. "And his girlfriend, Jenny." The girl sitting next to Eric smiled and waved. "And this is Jason." Chase pointed tot he other guy. "And Ana." He pointed to the girl next to Chase. She didn't smile or wave. Jessie had a feeling there was something wrong with her but didn't know what. "Jessie, these are my buds. We hang all the time and I promise they'll be nice."  
  
"Hi." Jessie smiled and sat down on one couch next to Chase. Jenny moved away from her boyfriend and joined them.  
  
"What's up?"  
  
"Nothing."  
  
"So are you and Chase like an item now or something?" The girl asked quietly so Chase wouldn't hear them.  
  
"Oh, not that I know of. I mean he kissed me outside and we danced together but that's about it."  
  
"Oh, figures." Jenny said and shrugged, moving back to her boyfriend's side. Chase got up, along with Eric and Jason.  
  
"We're going to go get some drinks." Jason turned to Ana.  
  
"Don't go anywhere sweet heart." He winked and rubbed her cheek but she pulled away. Jessie saw this but ignored it.  
  
"You want another water?" Chase asked her.  
  
"Oh, no thanks I'm fine."  
  
"Ok, I'll be right back." He leaned over and kissed her cheek gently.  
  
"I have to use the restroom." Jenny said and left the room along with the guys, leaving Jessie and Ana alone.  
  
"Are you ok?" Jessie asked.  
  
"No."  
  
"Do you want to talk about it?" She asked. Jessie got her sympathy and kindness from her mother, but hadn't noticed it until a couple months ago.  
  
"No." They got quiet and Jessie looked away. "Yes." Ana said quietly and this made Jessie move closer to her. "It's Jason."  
  
"What about him? I just met him but he seemed like a nice guy."  
  
"Believe me, he's not. He forces me to do things."  
  
"What kind of things?"  
  
"He raped me, Jessie. He raped me." The girl was crying by now and Jessie's jaw dropped. If Jason was Chase's friend, then was Chase like that too? The door to the stairs flung open and Jessie moved back to her spot on the couch. "Get out while you can." Ana whispered before going silent. Chase sat down and put his arm around Jessie, which made her uncomfortable. A few seconds later, Jenny came back.  
  
"Ok, let's get this party started!" She pulled out a bag of Marijuana and Jessie gasped. Jason pulled out his lighter and Eric took the first drag. Then Jenny did. "Whoa, this is some powerful shit." Jason took it next and it looked like he had done it before. Once Jason was done, he handed the Marijuana to Ana and gripped his masculine hand on her thigh and forced her to smoke it. Men to seem to have very powerful effects on women. Especially weak women. Chase took it next, which made Jessie even more uncomfortable and then he offered it to her.  
  
"I can't, I'm designated driver, remember?" She said hoping that would be enough of an excuse.  
  
"Oh come on, one drag." He handed her the Marijuana again.  
  
"No, I can't." She handed back to him and he handed it off to Jenny.  
  
"Fine, we'll do this instead." He flung himself on top of her and started kissing her roughly. Everybody but Ana was cheering Chase on. Jessie tried to fight him off but like she had noticed earlier, he was very well built. Ana had more tears rolling down her face cause she couldn't stand watching.  
  
"Help me!" Jessie mumbled beneath him. His hand slid up her skirt and she kicked him in the shin with her sandal.  
  
"Be still baby, you're just making it harder." Nobody could hear them considering the music downstairs was so loud and nobody in the room cared about what he was doing except for Ana. Eventually Jessie shifted enough under him to be able to jam her knee in his crouch area. Chase slid off of her and on the floor in pain. She scrambled to her feet and ran to the stairs, but then looked back at Ana and realized she couldn't leave her there with them.  
  
"Ana! Come on!" She motioned for her to come and for some reason Ana obeyed but Jason stopped her.  
  
"Where do you think you're going?" Jessie saw him grab her hand so she walked over to him and made him let go.  
  
"I can do the same thing I did to your little friend over there to you, so unless you want the shit kicked out of you I suggest you let her go." Jason stood up and he was taller then Jessie thought he would be. Then he grabbed Ana again and Jessie to. Once again, she raised her knee into the crouch area. Jason bent over in agony and Jessie and Ana ran for the stairs while Jenny and Eric smoked more Marijuana. "We have to find my friends." Jessie said to Ana but realized she had stopped in the middle of the kitchen.  
  
"I feel funny."  
  
"It's the drugs, come on!" Within minutes, Jessie found Sarah and Allyi and led them to the car. They were drunk and Ana was semi-high, while she was sober and racing to get away from the place. She decided that she couldn't take three friends back to her house because that would be too obvious so she drove to Sarah and Allyi's house. Her parents were home so she left Ana in the car and silently took them in one by one, making sure they were in their rooms, passed out without their parents noticing. Once that really hard task was completed she went back her car and buckled up. "Ok, Ana...I don't know you but you're staying at my house tonight until those drugs and god knows what else you've had can clear your system. If there's one thing I've learned from my mother, it's that time heals everything." She said and looked at Ana. The girl laid with her head hanging by her side and Jessie realized she wasn't breathing normally. "Oh Shit." The panicked teenage girl stepped on the gas pedal and steered in the direction of the Rittenhouse Emergency Room.  
  
***  
  
"Dr. Delgado to the ER. Dr. Delgado to the ER." The intercom rang out. It was pretty late in the evening but Andy was still there working on some files. When she heard this she sighed thinking about how she had lost her Emergency Room shift because of the past few stressful weeks. Lu rushed into the ER.  
  
"Who paged me?"  
  
"Over here Lu." Nick called. Jessie was standing beside him and Ana was on the hospital bed.  
  
"Jessie."  
  
"Dr. Delgado, help her." She motioned toward Ana and Lu immediately took care of it.  
  
"Jessie, I need you to tell me what happened."  
  
"Well, we were at a party and this guy took me up to this room over the garage and she was there and then when we were alone she told me something about the guy she was in there with. She told me...."  
  
"What is it?" Lu asked in a hurry to find out what was going on.  
  
"He raped her." Jessie said quietly. "And then he forced her to smoke Marijuana. I saw her take it but I don't know if she had had anything else before I met her." Lu nodded and gave a look of sympathy to the unconscious girl. Nick had Ana hooked up to a heart monitor and a oxygen tank for her irregular breathing when they all heard a solid ring. It was coming from Ana. Nick grabbed the EKG and handed them to Lu.  
  
"Charge to 150."  
  
"Charged." Nick said.  
  
"Clear." Lu zapped Ana but it didn't work. "Charge to 200."  
  
"Charged."  
  
"Clear." Lu zapped her again and got back her heart beat. "Ok, she's pretty steady. Nick find out exactly what is in this girl so I can treat her." Nick followed orders knowing that all rape cases hit close to home with Lu. Jessie stared at Ana. "Jess, are you ok?" She didn't respond. "Sweetie, we're going to have to get Andy down here and you're going to have to tell us exactly what happened tonight." Jessie kept staring at Ana and the doctors around her doing tests. She heard what Lu said and tried to prepare herself for what was going to happen next.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Me: Wow!! That is one long chapter! 17 pages! And at first it wasn't even the whole thing. That's only part one!! I hope you liked, and you will find out a lot more in part two and I'll try my best not to make it too long before I post it!! Love you guys! Reviews are always wanted and welcomed. 


	18. Thoughts: Part 2

Me: Hey everybody..what's shakin?? I'm finally back with Ch. 21! I've planned this out very carefully and decided that this chapter will be the second to last one. Ch. 22 will be the finale of Chaos At Rittenhouse. This chapter ends almost everything. If you don't get that, I'm sorry..you'll have to read it. I don't own the characters...bye.  
  
^^^  
  
Lu and Jessie met half way to her office and Jessie told them the whole story, but she left out Sarah and Allyi. It would just do more damage. After that, Lu rushed off to meet Nick so they could treat Ana carefully. Andy helped her out some by calling Ana's family. Jessie sat in silence on the big black couch in her office waiting. She was sure her mother was going to flip out eventually and punish her, but Andy didn't. Instead, she sat at her desk also in silence. Ten minutes later, a woman knocked on the office door and came in.  
  
"Where's Ana?!" She asked. Andy stood up and walked to her.  
  
"Are you the woman I spoke with on the phone? Ana's grandmother?"  
  
"Yes. What's happened to her? Where is she?"  
  
"Follow me." Andy headed out the door leading the lady with motions.  
  
"Mom?" Jessie called from the couch and Andy turned back to her. "Can I come?" After hesitation she nodded. The three made their way to Ana's hospital room. Lu was already in there with a nurse checking on the monitors.  
  
"Delgado, this is Mrs. Gibler, Ana's grandmother and legal guardian." Andy introduced them and they shook hands. Ana was perfectly still on the hospital bed and Jessie couldn't help but stare at her.  
  
"Call me Lu."  
  
"What's happened to her...Lu?" She asked looking at her granddaughter.  
  
"As you know Mrs. Gibler, Ana has Cystic Fibrosis. Unfortunately one of her attacks happened right after.....the rape."  
  
"Rape? Are you sure?" There were tears rolling down her cheeks now.  
  
"With what Jessie has told me about what happened and examining her myself, there are signs...there are a lot of them actually. With your consent we can do a rape kit but it would be difficult with her being unconscious."  
  
"Wait...who's Jessie?"  
  
"I am." Jessie said, speaking up from behind her. Andy wrapped her arm around her daughter's shoulders.  
  
"Is there anything else?" Mrs. Gibler asked and Lu nodded after a brief pause. "What is it?"  
  
"Her blood alcohol level is too high for us to combine it with the proper medication for the CF attack. There was also Marijuana in her system, which also causes complications."  
  
"Drinks and drugs?! Not my Ana.." The woman said, now balancing herself against the hospital bed.  
  
"I know it comes as a shock. I'm sure Ana is a wonderful young lady but sometimes it happens. Peer pressure goes a long way with teenagers and that might not have even been the case. As Jessie has told me, the guy who did this to her, apparently forced her to smoke the Marijuana and he could have even given her the drinks."  
  
"Is that true?" Mrs. Gibler asked, turning towards Jessie and she nodded in response. "What can you do to help her..Lu?"  
  
"Nothing now. The best thing would be for her to sleep off the alcohol and the drugs and hopefully it won't be too late to get her the medication." The women walked to a chair and sat down in shock. Lu continued. "I've contacted her primary physician and she thinks that Ana will be able to pull threw this and she told me she would be here as soon as she possibly could." They all were silent for a few minutes. "Is there anything I can do for you Mrs. Gibler?"  
  
"Could you just leave me alone with her for a minute, please?" Lu nodded in response and her, Andy and Jessie left the room and headed back to the receptionist desk where Lana sat typing on her computer.  
  
"Mom, I don't feel so good." Jessie said holding her forehead.  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"I've got a pounding headache."  
  
"It's probably the stress." Lu stated.  
  
"You're probably right Delgado." Andy said. "Come on, I'll let you get some sleep in my office." Jessie walked in the office and collapsed on the couch. Her eyes closed slowly and Andy could see a few tears running down her cheeks as she pulled a blanket out of the exam room.  
  
"I'm so sorry Mom. I'm so sorry."  
  
"Hey, sweetie, it's not your fault." Andy said wrapping the blanket around Jessie and sitting down next to her. "You did the right thing getting Ana out of that place."  
  
"But I went with that guy so easily. I could have been Ana tonight."  
  
"Yes, you could have. But you're not and what would have happened to her if you hadn't gone with that guy so easily." Andy said. Jessie sighed and positioned herself around Andy's body so she could lie down.  
  
"This really makes me think."  
  
"It should."  
  
"It does. It makes me think about what I might be getting myself into with Marc."  
  
"What?" Andy asked.  
  
"Chase was Marc, just in a different body. Maybe not as violent, who knows. But the alcohol and the drugs...he did all of that stuff."  
  
"Don't judge him because of his past."  
  
"You do..with dad."  
  
"That's different. Your father never got help, Marc is." Andy said defensively and Jessie just shrugged. "Jessie, it doesn't matter to me what happens with Marc, just as long as you're happy. You're almost eighteen now and I think you can make some decisions on your own now."  
  
"Really? Is that what I did tonight?" She asked plainly.  
  
"It was a bad decision that turned out bad but also good. You saved another life and taught yourself an important lesson." They fell silent again. "Now, why don't you get some sleep ok? It's been a long night." Jessie nodded and closed her eyes. After a few minutes, Andy stood up and walked out of the office, turning the light off and closing the door behind her. Lana and Lu looked at her as she sighed and rubbed her face with exhaustion.  
  
"She'll be ok, Dr. Campbell. She's got your strength." Lana stated.  
  
"Thanks Hawkins."  
  
"And what about you Andy? Are you going to be ok?"  
  
"Delgado, I survived military academy, boot camp, the Persian Gulf, Afghanistan, two child births, fifteen moves, that inspector guy awhile back, deaths of patients, and a divorce....and many other small things, so what do you think?"  
  
"I think Lana's right. She's got your strength." Lu responded referring to Jessie. "And apparently your attitude." She said under her breath. Andy sighed again.  
  
"I'm sorry Delgado. I guess it's just all too much for me to handle right now. I snapped and I apologize."  
  
"It's ok." Lu smiled.  
  
"Let me see if I can help out here some." Lana said.  
  
"Oh god." Lu rolled her eyes.  
  
"Just hear me out, ok? Dr. Campbell, we all know what this is really about. Not Jessie, but the men in your life. Who has been there for you the most in the past and present? And I don't mean amount of years, I mean spiritually and emotionally, who's been there?"  
  
"That's a hard question to answer."  
  
"Only because you're making it hard. You know in your gut who is the right choice, but you are just to afraid to bring that gut feeling to the surface." Andy looked at Lana silently. "All you need to do is sit yourself down in a quiet room of that big house you own and ask yourself one question." Lana put both her hands in the air with the palms facing up. "Milo or Les?" She raised one hand up and one down and then switched them when she said this. Andy didn't respond, but she took in what Lana had said and nodded. A few minutes later the phone rang and Lana picked it up. "RWHC, how may I help you?" Andy looked at her watch and realized it was a little late for one of her patients to be calling. "Hey buddy! How's it going?.....good, good.....yeah she's right here. All right, bye-bye baby." Lana put down the phone and handed it to Lu. "It's Marc." Lu grabbed the phone.  
  
"Marc?......hey honey, can you hold on?" Lu handed the phone back to Lana. "I'm going to take this in my office." Lana nodded and waited for Lu to get the phone inside her office until she hung up.  
  
"I'm going to go walk around. Page me if anything happens, especially with Jessie." Andy said.  
  
"Ok Dr. Campbell. I hope you take my advice. I may not be a full therapist yet but I have to say-"  
  
"I will Lana...and you're going to make a great therapist." Andy interrupted and started to walk off.  
  
Thirty minutes later, she came back and Lu and Lana were standing at the receptionist desk again.  
  
"You were gone a while? Where'd you go?"  
  
"Everywhere, checked on some patients, went up to the garden outside even though it's freezing. So, what did I miss here?"  
  
"Well, Marc gave me some wonderful news." Lu said and Andy turned her attention to her smiling. "He's coming home next week!"  
  
"I thought he wasn't getting out until right before Christmas?"  
  
"They think and he thinks that he's ready to go. He's better, he's healed. My baby's coming home."  
  
"I'm happy for you Delgado, I am." Andy smiled at her partner and the great relationship she had with her son.  
  
"Thanks."  
  
"Are you picking him up or what?" Lana asked.  
  
"No, but he's meeting me for dinner the night he gets back to talk about his plans and everything. I hope he decides to go to college but if he doesn't I'm ok with it."  
  
"You are?"  
  
"Yeah, it's totally his decision. I can't make it for him." Lu said and Andy nodded. Thoughts flashed through her head: ones about Jessie, ones about Milo, ones about Les, and everything that's happened. Later that night she went home and up to her room after tucking Jessie in carefully, making she was ok. There was a jewelry box sitting on her dresser drawers that she glanced at while changing into her pajamas. Hesitantly, she opened the box and pulled out a diamond ring and a wedding band. They were the ones she wore when she was married to Les and now she wore the beautiful diamond Milo gave her on her left hand, ring finger. Slowly she pulled it off and held both of them up to the light. Andy examined each one of them carefully. Not just what they looked like or which one was better but what they symbolized. After a few minutes she placed her old ones back in the jewelry box and then after deciding that she was still unsure, slipped her new one on her right hand, ring finger.  
  
*****  
  
The next day Andy and Lana were standing around the receptionist desk once again discussing a patients file on the computer. Lu was in chat room when Peter came in carrying folded boxes. Andy and Lana ignored him walking past with them but Lu didn't. Five minutes later he came back but Dr. Jackson was with him this time. They stopped near Lana and Andy at first and then continued into Peter's exam room.  
  
"Lu? Lu?"  
  
"Huh? What?" She turned her attention back to the girls in the chat room.  
  
"What's up with you Lu? You don't usually daze like that." One girl said across from her.  
  
"I'm sorry. I just got a lot on my mind right now, you know." They all nodded and some of them said 'yes'.  
  
"Do you want to talk about it?"  
  
"No, I don't want to burden you with my problems."  
  
"But isn't that what the chat room is for?"  
  
"Well..yeah. I guess it is."  
  
"Then spill it Doctor!" The girl next to her said.  
  
"Ok...first of all, most of you know that Peter is moving to Nevada right?" The girls nodded. "Well that's what's bothering me. He's my buddy....my pal. He's been there since the beginning. The beginning of all of this." She looked around the chat room. "And I don't know what I'm going to do without him. It's not so much the dating thing that hurts, it's the friendship thing."  
  
"You and Peter will still be friends Lu, even if he's in Nevada."  
  
"I know, but it just won't be the same."  
  
"Of course it won't but you'll get on with your life. And besides, didn't you say that he wasn't going to be gone permanently?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Then there you go. Sometimes in life you have to live without somebody or something for awhile." The girl beside her said.  
  
"I lived without my boyfriend for nine months while he was overseas because of the military and I was pregnant!" Another girl across the room stated.  
  
"I've lived without a man for a long period of time but not in the way you guys are talking about." Another girl said and everybody laughed. Outside Peter came back outside the office with the boxes now full of stuff from the exam room and Dr. Jackson was still by his side. Lu looked at her watch.  
  
"Times up ladies." She stood up and everybody else did to. "I'll see you tomorrow, same time, same place." She trashed what was left of her coffee and made her way outside the chat room and to the rest of them just in time to hear their conversation.  
  
"Like I've said Nurse Riggs, it has been a pleasure having you here at the Rittenhouse Women's Health Center and I'm looking forward to your return." Dr. Jackson said.  
  
"Thank you Dr. J." Peter answered, setting the boxes down. "I just hope for my mothers sake that I'm gone for awhile."  
  
"I understand. But we will be waiting for your return along with your position here."  
  
"And I thank you again for allowing me to come back to a job." Peter said.  
  
"What are you two talking about?" Lana asked. Peter looked around at the three women standing there.  
  
"I'm leaving."  
  
"What?! But you weren't supposed to leave for another two weeks Peter!" Lana said.  
  
"I know, but my mother is worse off then I thought and I have to get to her as soon as I can."  
  
"But we were going to give you a going away party and all that stuff."  
  
"Oh." Peter said. He looked at Lu who was silent but her looks said everything. "I'm sorry. I just don't have time guys."  
  
"When are you going?" Andy asked.  
  
"I head out tonight." Everybody looked sad at his response.  
  
"You're not even going to work one last day?" Andy asked.  
  
"Like I said, I don't have time." Peter answered.  
  
"So this is goodbye?" Lana asked with tears rolling down her cheeks slowly.  
  
"I guess so." He answered quietly.  
  
"Well, I'm going to miss you kid." She said and grabbed him into a hug. "You call us when you can ok." He nodded and turned to Andy.  
  
"Colonel." She laughed.  
  
"You're a fine solider Riggs. Keep up the good work." They all laughed at her and she smiled again with tears also forming in the corner of her eyes. "In translation that would be, you're a great man Peter, don't ever change, and I'm going to miss you greatly. We all will." It was Andy's turn to hug him now and she did it quickly because she hated good-byes.  
  
"I'll be back for the wedding, I promise." He added.  
  
"If there is one." Andy said under her breath while nodding. They fell silent for a second but then Peter spoke up again.  
  
"Dr. Jackson." He turned to him and shook his hand. "I'll be back."  
  
"We'll be waiting." He nodded and then Peter turned to Lu.  
  
"This isn't good-bye forever Lu." He said and she nodded trying to hold back tears of her own. "I'll be back."  
  
"And I'll be here when you do." She finally said but couldn't fight back the tears. "You're one of my best friends Peter and nothing can change that. I'm going to miss you so much while you're gone."  
  
"I'm going to miss you to. I'm going to miss all of you but I'll stay in touch, I promise." He said and embraced Lu in a hug. "I have to go now." She nodded but didn't let go of him. Then after a few more seconds she did.  
  
"Good-bye Peter Riggs." Lu said looking into his eyes. Peter grabbed the box he had and walked towards the entrance looking back at the entire clinic. The mural on the waiting room wall, the many offices and desks, the patients, and the employees and employer.  
  
"Good-bye." He said and turned around and headed out of the clinic.  
  
*****  
  
Later that day, Andy was sitting in her office researching on her computer when Lana walked in.  
  
"Jessie's on line one Dr. Campbell."  
  
"Thank you Hawkins." Andy responded and picked up the phone as Lana turned around and headed back to her own desk.  
  
"Hello?"  
  
"Hey Mom."  
  
"Is something wrong Jessie?"  
  
"No, I was just wondering....if I could go somewhere. I feel better and I need to talk to someone."  
  
"Jessie."  
  
"Please Mom, I promise, I'm just going to this one place and then I'm coming straight home and going back up to my room for more rest."  
  
"Who do you have to talk to?"  
  
"Someone."  
  
"Who is it Jessica?"  
  
"Dad. Ok? I need to go talk to Dad about some things." Jessie blurted out while twirling the phone cord around her finger. Andy didn't respond right away. "Mom?"  
  
"I'm here."  
  
"Well can I go?"  
  
"Ok, but straight to his apartment and then back home and in your bed or couch or where ever you're resting."  
  
"Thanks Mom. I promise I will come right back." Jessie said.  
  
"You better. Be careful! Use good judgement."  
  
"Mom I'm just going to Dads."  
  
"And last night you were just going to a party and looked what happened." Andy said but regretted it. Her daughter didn't need comments on her judgement from the night before. "Jessie I.."  
  
"You're right. I'll be careful. Bye." Jessie hung up the phone. She had been thinking about everything all day and felt like talking to her father about it, but first she had to make another phone call. She picked up the phone again and dialed a number that she had memorized.  
  
"Hello?" A girl answered. It was Allyi.  
  
"Hey, It's Jess."  
  
"Oh, hold on." Allyi said and motioned for her sister to come to the phone also. Sarah picked up the other cordless phone.  
  
"Hello?"  
  
"Hey Sarah." Jessie responded.  
  
"Oh Jessie. What's up?"  
  
"I was just wondering how you guys are?"  
  
"Hangover." They said at the same time.  
  
"That sucks. Did your parents find out?"  
  
"No, we hid it this morning and they've been gone all day so......" Allyi answered.  
  
"Well that's good. That way you won't get in trouble."  
  
"Yeah, it's a good thing they didn't find out or else we wouldn't be allowed to go to the party tonight." Sarah added.  
  
"Another party?" Jessie asked.  
  
"Totally, it's going to be a blast. I just wish this headache would go away so I could pick out what to wear." Allyi said.  
  
"I can't believe you guys."  
  
"What?" They asked together.  
  
"You got drunk off your asses last night and you're going to do it again tonight?"  
  
"Jessie." Sarah said defensively.  
  
"Who's going to be there to bail you out this time? Who's going to be there to sneak you into your house after midnight so your parents won't find out while you're too drunk to even know where you are?"  
  
"Well, we were hoping you would come again but I guess you're not up to with what you just said to us." Sarah said.  
  
"No, I'm not up to it because last night was one of the worst nights of my life and it really has changed me. I've been thinking about it the whole day: the alcohol, the drugs, the partying and dancing and the guys. It's not for me and you guys need to know that. Quite frankly, I think you party too much but you're not going to listen to me so what's the use. I'll give you words of advice before I go, stay home once in a while and just hang out together. Things happen out in the world and they are scary. They are scary as shit and one of those things I just happen to experience last night but if you twins weren't so drunk off of god knows what, you would have known that already. I don't want to be friends with people like you because it's dangerous and I'm not 'up to it' as you put it Sarah, so I'll talk to you later. Oh wait, no I won't. Bye." Jessie hung up the phone leaving Sarah and Allyi shocked. She couldn't believe what she just did. It reminded her of her mother's strength but it was like Lu wrote the words. Next thing she knew she was getting into her car which still kind of smelled of alcohol from the night before and driving to her Dad's apartment. She remember exactly which roads to take and which apartment it was. She walked towards the elevator but stopped when she saw her Dad entering it. She would have just caught up with him but his arm was wrapped around a women she didn't know and it made her suspicious. Jessie flew towards the stairs and jolted up to the second floor where her Dad's apartment was and where he was going with that women. Jessie got her sneaky methods from her mother, which made her realize she gets a lot of her mother's traits. She looked out the door of the stairs and had the perfect view of her Dad's apartment door. Next, she saw Les and the strange woman heading towards it. She was kissing his neck, which made Jessie wince. She felt it was gross to see her parents or parent doing anything that had to do with the opposite sex. Les slowly unlocked the door to his apartment and led the woman inside. Jessie ran towards the door and caught it before it shut completely. She waited a few seconds and listened to see where they had gone inside the apartment. When she could tell that they were no longer anywhere near the door she cracked it open and peered her head inside. Jessie didn't really want to see what was going on but she couldn't help it. Curiosity overwhelmed her because this involved her mother. If Les were dating somebody else, Andy needed to know about it. Jessie could hear voiced towards the back of the apartment so she walked in quietly and stood out of sight in the foyer. Les and this mystery woman were in the kitchen drinking wine and talking so Jessie listened carefully.  
  
"Tell me about her baby." The woman said.  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Because, I want to know what happened. What she was like and why it ended."  
  
"She just changed. Andy wasn't the same person in the last five years of our marriage."  
  
"That's it?"  
  
"Eventually I couldn't handle her making me do everything in the relationship and the parenting so I left. I told her it was over and left." Les said. Jessie jaw dropped. She couldn't believe her dad had said that. "Andy was like a machine, it was as if she didn't have any feelings anymore." Jessie panted heavily with rage. Les had never made her so mad. "I'm glad I found you now Jane." Les grabbed the woman's hand and kissed her gently. Jessie burst out from the foyer.  
  
"That's a lie and you know it." She said in anger.  
  
"Jessica!" Les stood up wide-eyed.  
  
"I have never been so angry at you, EVER! You've lied and hurt people when you did it. You used to be such a good Dad, what happened?!" Jessie asked and ran out the door. Instead of using the elevator because it was too slow she ran down the stairs and out to her car. Les was minutes behind her because of such shock. Jessie started the car while quickly putting on her seat belt and racing away. Ten minutes later she was at Rittenhouse. Andy was standing near Lana's desk talking about Peter.  
  
"Mom."  
  
"Jessie?!" Andy turned around and walked to her daughter. "What's wrong?"  
  
"There's something you need to know. Something about Dad." Jessie said. Lu had walked up right as she has said this, so now Jessie had three women staring at her in concern.  
  
"Jessie, what happened?" Andy asked holding both her daughter's shoulders. "Is he hurt? Is he dead? Is he ok? What?"  
  
"He's not hurt but he's hurting other people."  
  
"What?" Andy asked. She realized Lu and Lana standing there, listening to them but didn't really care since she would eventually tell them what happened. She also realized the patients staring at them all so she lead Jessie into her office and Lu and Lana followed.  
  
"He was there with some Jane woman. And he was lying! He was saying how you had changed and how you became the machine and he was saying that he told you it was over and that he left. He lied....and said that he was glad that he had found this other woman to be in love with!" Jessie blurted out. They all calmly waited for her response. Andy said nothing, but just sat herself down on the couch near by.  
  
"Are you sure?" Lana asked as if it was her business and not Andy's.  
  
"I heard him loud and clear and I told him off about it...kind of, so-"  
  
"He's probably out looking for you. He'll check the house first and then come here because I'm sure he knows that I've told you everything that has happened." Andy said staring at a spot on the floor. She knew Les well enough to know what he would do in a situation like this. "But of course, that's what the old Les would do. The Les that I fell in love with as a teenager and the Les that I married so long ago. The Les I thought I knew, the-"  
  
"Andy, don't cause yourself more pain by repeating everything that that man has done to you." Lu said calmly looking at her partner and seeing the pain she was in already.  
  
"I'm not going to hurt myself. I'm going to relieve myself of him. If...when he gets here, Jessie I don't want you to talk to him. Don't even be anywhere he can see you. Delgado, send him in here, I don't care how. It's time we settle this once and for all." She said with a final note and went to sit behind her computer. The three other girls stared at her. After a minute, they all nodded and headed out of her office. Lana and Lu returned to the receptionist desk and Jessie went and sat in Lu's office waiting impatiently. Her cell phone rang seconds later. Jessie looked at the caller ID and saw that it was Les so she didn't answer it and just went back to waiting. Fifteen minutes later, Les walked into the clinic in a hurry.  
  
"Can I help you Mr. Campbell?" Lana said nervously.  
  
"Have you seen my daughter, Jessie?"  
  
"No, but Dr. Campbell would like to speak with you. She thought you might be coming by." Lu said. "I think you remember where her office is?" She nodded at the door to Andy's office. The blinds were closed but inside Andy was acting normal, just playing with the computer. Les hesitated and then went in the office without knocking.  
  
"Les."  
  
"Andy." He said not sure why she wanted to see him. He was hoping that Jessie hadn't been there and told her everything.  
  
"I wish I could say that it's nice to see you." She said and this made him realize that Jessie had been by and obviously told her.  
  
"Andy." He said with a plead in his voice. She held up her hand to stop him.  
  
"Don't talk, just listen." Outside the office, Lana, Lu, and Jessie gathered at the exam room door next to Andy's office so they could hear the conversation even though they couldn't see it. "It's a shame on you if you fool me once Les. But shame on me if you fool me twice. You've lied to me repeatedly. And you know what....I hardly feel the pain anymore. That cannot be a good thing! I can't believe you....no wait...I can't believe myself. I can't even begin to imagine what the hell I was thinking by even getting the least bit involved with you again. I should have known you would do something like this, that you would trick me into thinking you had changed when you really hadn't. After you hit me, you lied to me about getting help and then you used Jessie's back surgery to trick me into a relationship. And now, you're using me again. And you're using that Jane woman or who ever the hell was in your apartment when Jessie found you. And you used to call me the bad parent. The machine.....have you looked in the mirror lately Les?! Have you?!! Because I'm not the one who's hurt this family by actions, you are. I'm not the one who talks badly about an ex-spouse right in front of our daughter." There was a brief pause as Andy tried to keep back her tears. "Because of you, I've ruined a perfectly loving relationship with the most wonderful man. Because of you, my life has been turned upside down for the past weeks. Because of you, I've almost lost my job and my children and I'm not going to sit by and let you walk all over me and control my life like this again Les! I'm not....I want you out, out of my life now! I told you a long time ago that it was over but obviously you didn't get it threw that thick, sandy blonde head of yours. IT'S OVER LES!!! GET OUT!!!!!!!" Andy yelled. She was breathing pretty heavily now because of pure anger at him. Les was angry but Andy wasn't afraid. He got closer to her and raised his hand quickly to do what he did long ago. What he did that was the turning point of their relationship. He was going to hit her but Andy responded by grabbing his wrist and stopping him. "Don't.... even..... think....about it." She said in between her teeth. She threw his hand back down by his side and he looked at her with a glare. "I said, get out. Now." Les gave her one last glare and ran out of the clinic. She wasn't sure what would happen next. If he would stay gone or if she's see him the next day. Most likely he would always be around for his daughters but her feelings toward him were now gone. Lana, Lu and Jessie opened the door to the office from the exam room. All threes jaws were dropped and Andy stood there glaring out the door.  
  
"Wow." Lu said.  
  
"Damn." Lana said next.  
  
"Mom?"  
  
"Jessie, you shouldn't have been listening to that."  
  
"Did he try to...." Jessie tried to ask but there were no words.  
  
"Yes. He tried to hit me again but I stopped him. He'll be back. I'll see him again because he's always going to be here for you girls but I'm not going to worry about feelings or thoughts towards that man anymore because they are dead. Gone...for good." She said.  
  
"Well it looks like you don't need to sit down in a quiet room and decide which guy."  
  
"Yeah, Les pretty much did that for me." Andy said nodding her head.  
  
"What are you going to do?" Lu asked.  
  
"I don't know." Now the tears were forming in Andy's eyes again. She hurt Milo. She hurt him bad and she didn't know if he would ever forgive her.  
  
*****  
  
Andy had gotten off work a couple hours after Les had been there but she didn't go home. Instead she sat in her office in the dark thinking. Lu was still there working and so was Lana but she hadn't talked to them since after she gave that big speech to Les. It was quiet for awhile out there. Lana was working quietly at her desk and Lu was in the ER. All of a sudden a voice caught her attention. It was Milo's. Andy looked up from her desk and outside the office. Her mini-blinds were still open from the day so she could see everything. He was standing with Lu and they were obviously talking about a patient or something that had something to do with medicine. When they stopped talking he walked away going past her office. Quickly, he glanced in at her and noticed that she was watching him but then kept walking. Andy could feel the tears coming to her and didn't stop them. After a few minutes of crying and getting it out of her system, she wiped away the tears and headed out of her office.  
  
"Dr. Campbell? Nice to see you surface. It's been a couple of hours. Where are you headed?" Lana asked curiously but Andy didn't respond. Instead she headed off in the direction of the elevators. Within minutes she was knocking on Milo's office door.  
  
"Come in?" He said from inside. His blinds were shut and the door was closed so he couldn't see who it was. Andy nervously slid her hand on the doorknob and opened the door. Milo looked up to see who it was. "Andy." He put down the paper he was reading and stood up. Tears started to come to her again. She thought she had let them all out but she hadn't. They were silent, just looking at each other.  
  
"I'm sorry." She finally said. "I don't think there are enough words to tell you how much I truly apologize and how much I regret doing what I did."  
  
"I know you are." He responded. The tears finally spilt from her eyes as she continued.  
  
"Les is out of the picture completely. There is no question about it. I loved him for the first half of my life but I don't anymore. I want to love you for the second half Milo. I love you so much and I pray to god that you can forgive me for the pain I've caused....to you and to myself. I'm sorry." Once again she was breathing heavily but it wasn't because of anger. It was out of nervousness on how he was going to respond.  
  
"Completely out of the picture, no question about it?" He asked and Andy nodded clearly. There was a long pause. "I can't...." Her heart started to sink at the beginning of the sentence. "Stay angry at you. I love you to Andy and I always will." Her heart rose again at the end of the sentence and more tears spilled from her eyes. Milo walked towards her and grabbed her around her waist. Andy placed her hands on his chest and he glanced down at them and shook his head. "That's on the wrong hand." He said and took the engagement ring she had placed on her right hand, ring finger the night before and slowly slid it back onto her left hand, ring finger. After he did this, he slowly wiped away the tears that stained her pink cheeks and then cupped that cheek with his hand. Andy was still breathing heavily but this time is was out of love and happiness. His face got inches away from hers and his lips finally touched hers. Andy kissed him back and felt something she hadn't felt since before Les moved back to Philly. The kiss was very slow and still. Very romantic and delicate and they both loved its. After a few minutes of standing up and kissing, they moved to the couch and kissed some more. Andy broke away from him finally and rested her head on his chest. Then, after a few moments of silence, she changed the subject. "Did you know that Peter Riggs left today?"  
  
"Actually I did. He came up here to say goodbye and tell me that he'd be back for the wedding."  
  
"Yeah, he told me that to. So........I guess that means we need to start putting the final touches on that wedding of ours."  
  
"Yes, we do. Because we are getting married and you know why?"  
  
"Why?" She asked even though she already knew the answer.  
  
"Because we love each other and now that we know that we can pull through really hard times, we're ready."  
  
"Yeah, I guess we do know that now. And I do love you Milo. So much....." She said looking back up at him.  
  
"I love you to Andy." He said and they met again for endless kissing and endless love.  
  
^^^  
  
Me: Aww!! *Tear, tear* I think I'm going to cry...wait I already am.....ohh! I need a tissue!!  
  
*Seconds later*  
  
Me: Uh, yeah ok anyway.......that was it folks. Thoughts: Part 2 is now complete and that means that there is only one chapter left to go. I know you're probably wondering, "What else does she have to write about?" You'll see....it's going to be great and I know this already! Anyway!! I hope you liked it and I really hope you review it and express your thoughts. Thanks. 


	19. I Hear Wedding Bells!

Me: Hey! I'm back with the story finale!! This is the end...the last chapter of Chaos At Rittenhouse. And tonight.....we are going to-  
  
CrazedManiac02 (CM02): PAAAARTAAAY!!!!!  
  
Megan: That's right!! Cast Party!!!  
  
Me: Most of the people who have been in my story or a cameo or any of my friends that have been in the prechap will be at the party which well starts....*Looks at watch* Right about now!  
  
*All the characters, cameos, and friends walk onto stage as disco lights are on and music starts playing softly in the background*  
  
CM02: *Spinning color guard flag while doing dance moves on stage. Falls off into pit suddenly. Everybody stops partying and looks towards her and we hear a low groan.* I'm ok! The concrete broke my fall.....  
  
Me: Right.......*Everybody goes back to partying.*  
  
*Minutes later T-TX walks on stage enraged.*  
  
T-TX: I GOT A FRIGGIN' TRAFFIC TICKET ON THE WAY OVER HERE!!! *Startles everybody.*  
  
Me: For what?  
  
T-TX: Well.......  
  
**FLASHBACK: "Chinese Fire Drill, Gone Wrong"**  
  
*We see T-TX stopping at random four-way intersection at a red light. She jumps out of car and starts running around it by herself.* AFRO-MAN!!!!!! GHETTO QUEEN!!!!!!! AFLECK!!!!!! *We hear sirens in the background.*  
  
**Back to present**  
  
Lana (Yep that's right, Lana.): You were doing a Chinese Fire Drill by yourself?? I thought that required three or more partners, handcuffs, and a whip??  
  
Lu: Lana, you're thinking of something entirely different.  
  
Jessie: Oh, I've done that!  
  
Andy and Milo: WHAT?!!  
  
Jessie: The one T-TX is talking about, not Lana!!  
  
Andy and Milo: *Shaking heads and sighing*  
  
Me: ANYWAY!!! Not to interrupt all the randomness but guess what? I have a surprise for all of you at the cast party. We get to watch the story finale during the party...or technically read it.  
  
Lu: OOOHH!! Did you guys hear about Andy's surprise during the- *Random dirt hits her in the face. She wipes it off and sees Megan digging a hole.* What are you doing?  
  
Megan: Digging.  
  
Lu: Why?  
  
Megan: To make a hole.  
  
Lu: For what?  
  
Megan: More digging.  
  
Lu: Riiiight. *Forgets about what she was saying before and goes back to dancing.*  
  
Megan: Mission accomplished.  
  
Me: Thanks Meg that was a close one.  
  
Lana: Oh yeah, I know what Lu was talking about. *Andy listens carefully in background* Dr. Campbell gets a surprise where-  
  
CM02: *Accidentally whacks Lana with colorguard flag.* Oh, my bad.  
  
Me: Crazy, what did I tell you about that thing indoors?? Just like the drivers ed thing! No flags inside and no running over the drivers ed/range teacher!  
  
CM02: That was only once ok!!! And she's still alive damnit!!  
  
Me: You'll never live that down!! Anyway, do you need some ice Lana?  
  
Lana: Naw, I'm fine. *Goes back to dancing. Andy sighs in background.*  
  
CM02: Wait a minute......I know what Lana was talking about. The surprise and everything at the-  
  
Me: PLAY THAT FUNKY MUSIC WHITE BOY!!! PLAY THAT FUNKY MUSIC RIIIIIIGHT!!!!  
  
CM02: Wtf??  
  
Me: EVERYBODY WAS KUNG FOO FIGHTING!!!!!!  
  
Audience: o_O  
  
Me: *Winks at Megan*  
  
Megan: FLYING PURPLE PEOPLE EATER!!!!  
  
Lu: AND THEN I SAW HER FACE/ NOW I'M A BELIEVER/ NOT A TRACE/ OF DOUBT IN MY MIND/ I'M IN LOVE/ I'M A BELIEVER/ I COULDN'T LEAVE HER IF I TRIED/ YEAH YEAH YEAH/ YEAH YEAH YEAH/ I'M A BELIEVER/ I'M A BELIEVER/ I'M A BELIEVER-  
  
Andy: STOP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  
  
Lu: Uh...Afraid not.  
  
Andy: Afraid so.  
  
Lu: Afraid not.  
  
Andy: Afraid so.  
  
Lu: Afraid not.  
  
Andy: Afraid so.  
  
Lu: Afraid-  
  
Lana: Girls! Girls! Do I have to turn this car around?!!  
  
Andy and Lu: Well she started it!!  
  
Lu: Did not!  
  
Andy: Did to!  
  
Me: HEY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I get enough of this shizznit in my mother's daycare ok!!!! (A/N: Some of you know what I'm talking about....) Please...can we just get on with the cast party. It's almost time to watch or read the story.  
  
Lu: Whatever.  
  
Andy: Fine. *Sighs and goes back to Milo.*  
  
*Five minutes later.*  
  
Me: Ok.....it's time to start this shizzank!! Let's go!  
  
CM02: *Spinning colorgaurd flag.* Special doesn't own no characters except for the ones she makes up duh!! Or any cameos!! That's right....cameo...there is a cameo in the chapter...  
  
Me: Crazy!!  
  
CM02: What, they were going to find out anyway!  
  
Me: Whatever! Enjoy the story everybody!  
  
*****  
  
It was now January 20, three days before Andy and Milo's wedding. Everybody had all their fittings for dresses and tuxes done and all the plans were now completely taken care of. The hotel was booked for the ceremony and Milo's parent's house was being decorated for the reception. Marc had been home from rehab since before Christmas and was back on a good life track. He was putting himself through college and he and Jessie had worked things out to being just friends. She had lost most love interest in him after her incident with the drugs and near rape. He had given her a chance but then decided that there was no real chemistry. Lizzy had met a guy at her school before the Christmas break and they had grown closer over the holidays so Andy let her invite him to the wedding as her date. Peter was arriving that night and staying at Lu's apartment for the time he would be there. He had made a promise to be back for the wedding and he wasn't going to break it. Les was still around, but he didn't bother Andy. He visited his daughters and sometimes had them stay over for weekends. That night, Andy with the help of Jessie and Lizzy, cooked dinner for her parents and Milo's at her house. They were finally meeting for the first time in all the years that they had been dating and she was very nervous. Andy had left the dessert in the oven to go take a shower. After that she put on a nice skirt and blouse, with her hair rolled under and her make up on, all in the time it took the dessert to cook. A few seconds later, she heard the front door open as she was taking the dessert out of the oven.  
  
"Andy?" It was Milo. She smiled at him as he walked into the kitchen carrying a box full of stuff. "Hi."  
  
"Hello. What's that?" She asked referring to the box.  
  
"Just the last of my stuff." He said placing the box on a kitchen chair. He had been moving his stuff into her house slowly for the past weeks. "What is that?" He asked referring to the dessert.  
  
"Homemade apple pie. I thought I would make something that would remind us of the wonderful evening I met your parents." She answered with a grin.  
  
"Oh, you mean the evening that you called yourself two shades lighter than pale."  
  
"Well, look at me. I'm not exactly your tannest person in Philadelphia Milo."  
  
"No, but you're the prettiest." He said.  
  
"Well, thank you. You're not so bad yourself." She answered and turned around to pour the gravy into a saucer.  
  
"I'll be right back." He said and headed for the stairs with the box to put it in the bedroom. Minutes later he came back with Jessie trailing behind him. "It's about six now so my parents should be here around six thirty. When did you say you're parents were arriving?" He asked.  
  
Before Andy could answer him, Lizzy came into the kitchen and answered for her, "In about five minutes."  
  
"What?" Andy asked looking at her watch.  
  
"I just called Grandma's cell phone." She said smiling.  
  
"Is Grandpa in a good or bad mood?" Jessie asked sarcastically.  
  
"Jessie." Andy said.  
  
"What? It's a reasonable question." She defended herself. Lizzy shrugged and walked back into the living room.  
  
"Come on. Help me set the table." Andy said and grabbed the plates while Milo grabbed the place mats and Jessie grabbed the flatware. A few minutes later a car horn sounded outside and Andy turned towards the door. "They're here." She said quietly to Milo as Jessie and Lizzy ran outside to greet their grandparents. Andy followed them. "Mom." She said as her mother wrapped her arms around her. "I'm so glad you're here." She whispered, hugging her tightly. Andy's father, Andy Sr., slowly got out of the car and ordered Jessie and Lizzy to get the bags and take them into the house. Andy approached her father as her mother moved on to greet Milo. "General." She said while staring into his eyes, which looked so much like her own.  
  
"Soldier." He responded and pulled her in for a hug. "How are you?"  
  
"I'm good. How are you?" She asked and then glanced down at his leg. She couldn't help but remembering the awful time he had come to visit and she found out he had a nerve condition in his leg from his years in the military. Those days of pain and anger came to her as she looked back up to his face and he knew what she was thinking.  
  
"My leg is fine. The rest of me is pretty good to. Thank you for asking."  
  
"I can't help but worry." She responded quietly. He nodded and walked into the house. For the next forty-five minutes, they all spent the time catching up and discussing the wedding. Andy Sr. was very quiet that night for some reason and Andy couldn't help but notice and worry again. The doorbell rang and Milo got up to get it. It was his parents. They came in pulling off their coats and apologizing for their tardiness.  
  
"We're so sorry we are late. We got held up at the house with the people who were hooking up the sound system for the reception." His mother said while taking off her coat. "It's not to cold outside tonight for the end of January." She noted. Milo and his parents walked into the kitchen where everybody else was standing around. He started the introductions as Milo's father handed a bottle of wine to Andy and kissed her cheek.  
  
"This is Andy's father, General Andy Marsh." He said and pointed to Andy Sr.. "And this is her mother." He pointed to Andy's mother and then to his own. "This is my mother, Eve Morton. And my father." He finished by pointing his father and then moved towards Andy. "Here, why don't I pour everybody some wine."  
  
"Oh, none for me, thank you." Andy's mother stated. "I'll just have a glass of water if that's all right."  
  
Milo nodded. "Andy, would you help me here." He said while trying to grab several wine glasses at once. She quickly walked to him and grabbed half of them from his hands. "Thank you." He smiled as she set the glassed down on the counter and pulled out the bottle opener so he could open the wine. After everybody got their wine glasses and talked with each other for a few minutes, Andy set down her drink and got their attention.  
  
"Should we start dinner?" She suggested and everybody agreed. They all headed into the dinning room. "Ok. All the different kinds of foods couldn't fit on the table with us to so I put everything in a buffet style against the wall." She pointed to the wall. "Help yourselves." After everybody had gotten their food and sat down at the table, they started eating.  
  
"The foods delicious." Eve said to Andy.  
  
Before Andy could be grateful, her father interrupted them. "It could use some salt."  
  
"Well, too much salt is bad for you. Isn't that right Andy?"  
  
Andy hesitated, not knowing whose side to take. Her fathers or her soon to be mother in laws. "Well, actually." Her father looked at her with a frown. "Yeah, too much salt isn't that good for you." She said quietly and glanced at Milo. Her father looked down at his food and had a scolded look on his face.  
  
After a long pause with just more eating and glances around the table, Milo's father spoke up. "So, are you still in the nursing career or are you retired?" He asked Andy's mother.  
  
"Oh, I'm retired now. Just taking care of the house and all the affairs back in Washington." She answered.  
  
"Except for when you are going to those stupid volunteer clinics...." Andy Sr. said, interrupting the conversation. Andy's mother looked at him silently with a frown and Andy did the same.  
  
Eve interrupted. "Well, there is nothing wrong with wanting to help people. Isn't that right Andy?"  
  
Andy looked over to Eve and then glanced at Milo again with disillusionment in her eyes. "No, there isn't." She said quietly. There was another long pause as people glanced at each other. Jessie and Lizzy had been silent the entire time and so had Milo. Nobody said a word and Andy noticed the even more scolded look upon her father's face. Every once in a while he would glance up from his food and look at Eve like she had just broken a military law or something.  
  
"So! Are you two nervous at all?!" Eve said suddenly, changing the subject, and was looking straight at Andy and Milo.  
  
***  
  
Later that night after Milo's parents left and Andy got her parents settled into the guest bedroom, her and Milo grabbed their coats and sat on the front porch.  
  
"So...one big happy family huh..." He said sarcastically. She chuckled and gently punched his stomach.  
  
"There was so much tension tonight. Can you imagine what Friday night is going to be like? The rehearsal dinner...." The couple paused and glanced up at the stars. "Are you nervous Milo?"  
  
"Some what." He responded. "Are you?"  
  
"Yes." Andy answered truthfully. "I mean, how couldn't I be. We're getting married. This is forever. For the rest of our lives Milo. Of course that's what I thought at my first wedding too."  
  
Milo looked into her eyes. "Hey, that's not going to happen to us." They paused again. "I believe that in order to find that perfect soul mate, you have to go through other relationships that don't turn out good, right?"  
  
"Right." She responded and grabbed his hand. He kissed hers and then set it down on his knee. After a few seconds Andy realized something and slightly gasped.  
  
"What is it?" He asked concerned.  
  
"I just remember that I don't have a father daughter song to dance to at the reception. I wanted to do one that had a lot of meaning and connected with the relationship me and my father have. If you call that a relationship." She ended the statement quietly.  
  
"Oh! I wanted to actually talk to you about that. I was talking to Nick and he came up with one that kind of make sense symbolically but it wouldn't if you didn't know about you and you're dad."  
  
"What is it?" She asked curiously.  
  
"'I Don't Want To Miss A Thing.' By Aerosmith."  
  
Andy thought a minute. "Isn't that from a movie? It sounds familiar."  
  
"It's from Armageddon. I have the song on a CD upstairs in the box I brought in tonight. You can listen to it when you go inside. Supposively, the guy who sings it was the father of the lead actress in the movie and he missed out on a lot of her childhood and being really close with his daughter so it was a very emotional song for both of them. I thought it fit. " He said. Andy nodded and smiled.  
  
"Thanks. Even though I don't know how all of this is going to turn out, I'm really looking forward to spending the rest of my life with you Milo." She said and smiled at him. Milo leaned in and kissed her softly.  
  
"I feel the same way Andy." He responded into her ear as he hugged her. They continued to hug and kiss for a while until she decided to go inside to get some sleep. Milo left as she went into the kitchen to turn off whatever lights were still on. When she saw her father sitting at the kitchen table, she stopped walking and leaned against the doorframe. "What are you still doing up?" She asked.  
  
"Wasn't tired yet." He responded. Andy noticed that he was drinking tea and decided to get some for her. "That Eve women." He said after a little pause. Andy hesitated and prayed that he wasn't about to insult her soon to be mother in law. "Quite an independent soul."  
  
"Most women are these days."  
  
"She was opinionated." He stated.  
  
"Dad." Andy said, starting to get annoyed.  
  
"What? I'm just expressing my thoughts."  
  
"Do you have to do that three days before I'm getting married to that 'opinionated' women's son?" She asked growing more enraged now.  
  
"Well, if I had met them sooner then I would-"  
  
"Oh come on! You were in Washington and you didn't feel like meeting them sooner." She interrupted him.  
  
"You know, I hate when you interrupt me." He said firmly.  
  
"Yeah, well I hate when you knock down something that is really important to me." Andy responded. They fell silent as he finished most his tea and Andy hardly drank any of hers. "I mean, why do you have to express your thoughts in steps? Why can't you just flat out say what you mean? It would be a lot easier and a lot quicker."  
  
"Fine." He responded. "I don't like you getting married again. You were better off with Lesley Campbell." Andy looked at her tea and frowned even more than she already was.  
  
"Well, you're going to have to get over that because I'm not better off with anybody except Morton." She poured her tea down the sink drain and walked towards him more. "Why can't you just be happy for me Dad? Just this once. You always find something wrong with me. Something wrong with my life."  
  
"Young lady, that is not-"  
  
"True!" She interrupted him again. "It is true. You have always thought of me and treated me like one of your soldiers. Well, I'm not. I am your daughter. You're supposed to be happy with the decisions that I make, not trying to find some way for me to improve them. All I want is for you to truthfully walk me down the aisle Saturday afternoon and wish me the best for the rest of my life." They paused again and he didn't take his gaze from her. "Yeah, you have been there. I'll give you that. You were there for my first wedding and the births of Jessie and Lizzy and my military graduation and my ranking higher than just a normal military officer ranks. The many moves, and then the divorce and everything else. But can you look me in the eyes right now and honestly tell me that each time you were there, you weren't thinking of some possible way that I could have done better?" She was on the verge of tears now, just wishing that her Dad would see her side of it.  
  
"I'm sorry you feel that way." Is all he responded with and as there was another long pause, as a tear rolled down Andy's cheek.  
  
"Fine. General." Andy stood up perfectly straight and raised her right arm and hand to her forehead. He just stared at her. "This is what you want isn't it? A solute from me, a soldier." Andy Sr. still did not speak so Andy put down her arm and hand and started to leave. Suddenly her father stood up.  
  
"You do not leave until you are dismissed." He said firmly. Andy looked at him with sadness and clarity. Then she continued towards the stairs. "I rank higher than you Colonel, so get your ass back down here." Andy heard him but ignored it. Soon enough she disappeared up the stairs and into her bedroom. By the time she made it through the box Milo had been talking about and found the CD he wanted her to listen to, she was in tears. Andy dabbed her cheeks with a tissue and put the CD into the CD player and turned to the song 'I Don't Want To Miss A Thing.' And listened carefully to the lyrics.  
  
***  
  
The next morning, Peter Riggs walked into the Rittenhouse Women's Health Clinic to find Lu and Lana standing at the receptionist desk like always. The two women didn't see him enter so he walked up behind them. Lu looked as if she had been awake all night and Lana looked all most the same way.  
  
"How are my ladies?" He asked. Both women jumped in surprise and then grinned from ear to ear when they saw that it was him. Lana greeted him with a hug first and then Lu with a longer one. "You two look tired. Wait a minute...it's Thursday which means yesterday was Wednesday, which means all night clinic. Did you guys still do that even with Dr. C's wedding in a couple days?"  
  
"You know us Peter. We never stop." Lana noted. "So how ya been?"  
  
"I'm ok."  
  
Lu nodded. "I hope Marc treated you ok last night. I'm sorry I couldn't be there to get you settled into my apartment. All night clinic means...well all night clinic."  
  
"Yes I remember Lu. And Marc was a perfect gentleman. We had a rather lovely evening." Peter responded and made them laugh. "Anyway. I just wanted to come by and say hello since I haven't seen you guys in a few months, and now I should really head to see Dr. Campbell."  
  
"Well there's no need for that Riggs, I'm right here." Andy said from behind them. She had just come into the clinic while they were reuniting. Peter turned around and smiled, then greeted her with a hug.  
  
"How are you Dr. C?"  
  
"Tired. Didn't get much sleep last night. And I can't even imagine what the next two days are going to be like."  
  
"Are you nervous?" Peter asked even though he already knew the answer. Andy nodded.  
  
"Listen, why don't we all go into one of the offices? It's getting kind of noisy out here?" Lu suggested and they all agreed and walked into her office and took a seat.  
  
"So, how's your mother?" Andy asked.  
  
"Well actually, I probably should tell you that.....my mother...... is no longer with us........ She died a couple weeks ago."  
  
"But you never said anything when I called." Andy said.  
  
"I didn't want to burden anybody with it. I handled it. We had the funeral and said our good byes. It's over now."  
  
"I am so sorry Riggs." Andy said.  
  
"Yeah, me to Peter." Lana said.  
  
Lu just looked at him with sadness. "Are you sure you're ok?" She asked.  
  
"Yes. I'm fine. Like I said, it's all over now."  
  
"Well, does this mean that you are coming back here?" Lana asked curiously.  
  
"Yeah I guess it does. I'm free to start making plans on getting a new apartment and talking to Dr. Jackson about the job thing."  
  
"Well if it weren't for situation I would be jumping up and down right now." Lana said with a smile and then frowned.  
  
"Well, that's comforting." Peter said and made them chuckle. "It's a sad time but I'm glad to be back."  
  
"We're glad to have you." Andy said.  
  
"Yeah, we really are." Lu stated and grabbed his hand. He squeezed it but let go when there was a knock at the door. It was Nick. Lu waved him in and he entered.  
  
"Peter, hey man."  
  
"Hey." They shook hands. "What's up?"  
  
"Actually, a lot. I wanted to talk to Dr. Campbell about something."  
  
"What is Biancavilla?" Andy asked.  
  
"Ok, you said you needed me to bring a date for the wedding right?"  
  
"Well yes. But that's only if you want to. If you don't then it's fine." She responded.  
  
"How about if I bring three?"  
  
"What?" She asked confused. Everybody was looking at him weird.  
  
"My date has kids."  
  
"Oh, you scared me for a minute there. Umm...yeah that's fine. She can bring her kids." Andy answered.  
  
"Great."  
  
"Who is it?" Lu asked curiously.  
  
"Well why don't you see for yourself." He said with a grin and then motioned somebody outside to come into the office. When the women did, Peter, Lana, and Lu's jaws dropped to the ground. It was Dana Stowe.  
  
"Oh my god." Lu said. "Dana Stowe is not really standing in front of me, is she?"  
  
"Am I dreaming? Somebody pinch me." Lana asked. Dana pinched her. "Ouch!"  
  
"Guess you're not." She said with a smile.  
  
"I didn't think I'd ever see you again." Lu said. Her jaw was still dropped to the ground and she was basically in shock.  
  
"So this is Dr. Dana Stowe?" Andy said and stuck out her hand to shake hers. "It's nice to finally meet you, I'm Dr. Campbell."  
  
"You're the replacement."  
  
"At first she was, but now she's like family." Peter said and wrapped his arm around her with a wink. He then let go and walked to Dana and hugged her. "It's good to see you again."  
  
"It's good to see you to Peter." She said and then moved on to hug Lana. "And you Lana." Then she moved on to Lu, smiling before she hugged her. "Gosh, I've missed this place." She looked around and then at all of her friends. "So, Dr. Campbell? Nick here has told me that the wedding I am attending is yours. Who's the lucky gentlemen?"  
  
"Dr. Morton."  
  
"You're kidding." Dana said shocked and then looked at Nick. "How come you didn't tell me that!!"  
  
"I thought you knew."  
  
"You know Nick, some things about you never change."  
  
"What's that supposed to mean?" He asked defensively.  
  
"It means that you think I know things when I don't." Dana answered and turned back to the others.  
  
"Well, as fun as this has been, I really need to be going. Milo is meeting me for a late breakfast and then we are headed off to do some last minute details." Andy said and gathered her purse and coat.  
  
"It was nice meeting you Dr. Campbell." Dana said.  
  
"You to. I'll see the rest of you guys later." Andy walked to the door and then left the others behind to catch up on each other's lives.  
  
***  
  
Later that night, Andy sat in Milo's car in front of her house.  
  
"My parents were supposed to take the girls out to dinner and it looks like they did considering their car isn't here." Andy said, looking out the window.  
  
"So what are you saying?" He asked trying to pry the truth from her.  
  
She looked back at him. "That I don't have to confront my father right away."  
  
"Are you sure that's such a good thing?"  
  
Andy hesitated. "I honestly don't know anymore Milo. I mean, I want Saturday to be absolutely perfect but-"  
  
"How can that happen if you and you're father are in a fight." He finished her sentence. Andy smiled that he knew what she was thinking and then frowned at what he was actually talking about.  
  
"I will talk to him either when he gets home or tomorrow morning. Anyway, whatever happens, I'm not letting it get ruined."  
  
"Me either." Milo smiled and leaned in for a kiss. Andy kissed back and didn't stop. After a few seconds she adjusted her position to be closer to him. Then they kissed more intimately. After a few minutes, Milo broke away from her.  
  
"God, I can't wait for the honeymoon." He said.  
  
Andy laughed. "Oh I know. Four days in a waterfront bungalow on the Bora Bora Islands. It's going to be so great."  
  
"Yes, it will be." He said and then started kissing her again. This time, after a few minutes, Andy broke away from him.  
  
"I should be going."  
  
"Ok. I'll see you in the morning."  
  
"I love you." She said and pecked his lips.  
  
"I love you too sweetie."  
  
Andy jumped out of the car and went half way up the walkway before turning around and blowing another kiss to him. Then, she entered her house and noticed that the kitchen lights were on, so she went to turn them off. She found her Dad sitting in the kitchen just like the night before and she sighed as she remember that she needed to talk to him. "I thought you and Mom took the girls out."  
  
"I skipped it."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Because I wanted to be here when you got home." He responded.  
  
Andy sighed. "I'm a big girl, I think I can come home by myself-"  
  
"That's not what I meant." He interrupted her.  
  
"Then what did you mean?"  
  
"There is something that you need to know." He said. Andy took a seat across from him as she pulled out a gold pocket watch from his shirt.  
  
"That's you're old pocket watch that you always carried around when you were in the military." She noted and looked at him curiously.  
  
"Open it."  
  
Andy did what he said and found a picture of her in the side opposite the watch. It was taken when she was a little girl. "I don't understand. Why-"  
  
"I used to always carry that around, not because I needed to know what time it was, but because I wanted to look at that picture of you every second that I wasn't home. Every second I was fighting wars and ordering troops around half way across the world. I looked at it every single time that I missed you Andy." He said. Andy looked from her father to the picture and was on the verge of tears. "I treated you like a soldier most of the time and I'm sorry for that. I realize that I haven't been much of a father. At least not one that you needed. But now I want to be. You're not my soldier, you are my daughter and I love you more than anything Andy." Andy didn't say anything. She was so astonished by the change in her father. He was more sensitive and caring, compared to the night before.  
  
"I love you to Dad." She said and they both stood up to hug each other. "Thank you. I really needed that."  
  
"In less than two days, I am going to walk you down that aisle. And I am going to wish you the best for the rest of your life because you deserve it." He said and this only made her cry more. After many years of arguing and distance, they had finally connected on a more emotional level and finally acted like a father and his daughter.  
  
***  
  
The next afternoon, the day before the wedding, Andy and Milo met at the hotel where the ceremony would take place. They had a meeting with the hotel managers and people helping out with the ceremony. Basically, what they did for two hours was talk about the ceremony and look around the big ballroom type hotel lounge they had rented for it. After they were done, they both headed to Milo's parent's house to make sure everything was ready for the reception. They had ordered a large tent to be in the backyard, but connected to the house and somewhat heated to make more room. In the beautiful tent, the DJ was set up and there was a wooden dance floor along with a bar and the dinning area where they would all enjoy their food. Inside the house, near the two big back doors, was the buffet table. As Andy and Milo, along with his parents where looking around and talking, Milo's cell phone rang. He answered it and decided to talk in a different room. When he came back, he had a look of disappointment and concern on his face.  
  
"What's wrong?" Andy asked, knowing something was up.  
  
"It's my brother, Michael." He said. "He and his girlfriend were supposed to fly down from Vermont this morning, but all flights are canceled due to severe snow storm."  
  
"But he's your man of honor, not to mention your brother." Andy said. Both her and his parents were looking at him concerned.  
  
"I know. I just talked to him and the plan is now to drive."  
  
"What about the snow storm?" Eve asked.  
  
"You know Michael, sweetie. He's a good driver, he'll be ok." Milo's father said.  
  
"Yes, he is." Milo said reassuringly. "But that still delays him until tomorrow."  
  
"Is he going to make it in time for the wedding?" Andy asked.  
  
"I really hope so. They should if nothing delays them more than just the storm."  
  
"Well, this changes some things. I need to make a few phone calls. Is it all right if I just use the house phone?" She asked his parents. They nodded and Andy headed into a different room. Once she was out of sight and hearing shot, Eve turned to Milo.  
  
"What about the surprise?"  
  
"New York City is full of snow storms also so Michael is actually going to pick up the surprise himself and bring it with him."  
  
"The surprise can't come by itself??" Eve asked curiously.  
  
"Apparently not, don't ask me why." Milo responded and Andy walked back into the room.  
  
"What did I miss?" She asked after seeing the expressions on their faces.  
  
"Nothing." Milo said. "Come on, we should get going."  
  
***  
  
Later that afternoon, they had the rehearsal ceremony at the hotel with everybody that was in it except Milo's brother, Michael. Then, they all headed back to Andy's house for the rehearsal dinner. Milo's parent's house wasn't completely ready to have dinner in, so they decided to do it there. There was a buffet in the kitchen just like there would be at the actual reception. With Corrina's help, Andy managed to fit everybody at her dinning room table with an additional table added to one end for the kids. After everybody had sat down to begin the dinner, Milo tapped on his glass with his fork to make a toast.  
  
"To my wonderful fiancée. May every moment from here on be full of happiness and joy." He said and Andy blushed. "Also, for those that participated today and will tomorrow, we couldn't possibly thank you enough for everything you've done. You all mean so much to us." They all finished up a toast with the clink of a bunch of glasses and the sounds of eating everywhere. Everywhere, except for Milo's other brother, Jared's son, Chris. He was staring at Lizzy and after a few minutes she noticed it and then looked around to see if anybody else noticed it. Nobody did so Chris kept staring at her until she started staring back, so then he looked at his food. Lizzy chuckled and went back to her own food. All of a sudden, a string bean hit her in the face. Her eyes widen and she looked around. Nobody noticed that this little boy had thrown food at her and he was acting as if he didn't do it. After a few seconds, Lizzy ignored it and went back to eating again. Another string bean flew into her head and made her drop her fork hard. Lizzy got a glance from her grandmother but that was it. Chris was staring at her again and smiling at what he was getting away with. She gave him an evil look and picked up a piece of her meat and threw it at him. Everybody stopped talking and looked at her. They had all noticed what she did and Lizzy found it unbelievable. Andy frowned and shook her head.  
  
"Lizzy, why did you just do that?" She asked.  
  
"He started it."  
  
"That's absurd Lizzy. Christopher would never do such a thing." Eve said.  
  
"He threw a bean at me!" She defended herself.  
  
"Lizzy, come on. Please don't be childish, not now." Andy said firmly.  
  
"Is that why you dropped your fork?" Andy's mother asked, ignoring what Andy had just said. Lizzy nodded nervously. All eyes were on her at the moment. Conversation struck up on whom would have done what and why. Arguing was taking place and it was getting loud. Eve started arguing with Andy's mother and this made Lizzy start arguing with Jessie when she gave her a 'what did you do that for' look. Milo tried to stop the yelling but that only caused him to start arguing with his father. Andy's eyes were wide and she buried her face in her hands. Lu and Peter smiled at each other and Lana nudged Lu and winked. Lu immediately reacted by yelling at her for being obvious. Jared joined in on Milo and his father's argument. Andy's dad sighed and then stood up.  
  
"STOP!!!" He yelled and everybody fell silent. After a few seconds, Eve smiled and picked up a spoonful of mashed potatoes and threw it in Andy Sr.'s face. Everybody's eyes widen and jaws dropped, especially Andy's. She looked at Milo and then back and forth from her father to Eve with her jaw still dropped. Everybody was perfectly silent, waiting for his response. He bet over and wiped the food off his face. When Andy saw his expression, she thought he was going to murder somebody. Instead of doing what Andy thought he would do, he picked up a spoonful of his own mashed potatoes and threw it back into Eve's face. Jaws dropped even more than they already were, as Eve stood up and walked around to the side of the table and picked up a spoonful of gravy and dumped it on Andy's dad's head.  
  
"Hope you like gravy with your mashed potatoes, General." She said with a grin. Andy's dad smiled and picked up some Alfredo fettuccine and threw it at Eve. She ducked just in time and it ended up hitting Andy's mother. Lu, Lana, Nick, and Peter all started laughing and Andy shook her head again and mumbled an 'oh my god'. Milo smiled and picked up a bread roll with butter smeared all over it and shoved it on the side of Andy's face.  
  
"MILO MORTON!!" She yelled and looked at him with a half-buttered face. Milo laughed and everybody else laughed more. Andy picked up some of her mashed potatoes and smeared them over his face. Soon, people started joining in on the food fight.  
  
Fifteen minutes later, they had all settled down and Andy looked around. "My house....." She said.  
  
"Well, the food was great Andy." Milo said sarcastically. She looked at him with a semi-evil look but then grinned and nudged him in the stomach.  
  
After awhile, and some cleaning, Jared and his family left along with Nick. Lu, Lana, and Peter headed for the door and grabbed their coats. After remembering that they were all covered in food, they decided not to put them on.  
  
"We have to head out. But we'll see you tomorrow." Lu said to Andy. They were standing in the foyer while the rest where finishing up cleaning in the dinning room.  
  
"I think there was some major tension release tonight. Often, childish food fighting or such things are symbolized as just letting it all out. Especially before a huge event, such as this." Lana said. All three of her friends stared at her and then smiled.  
  
"You're probably right Hawkins." Andy agreed and it made them all turn their attention from Lana to her. "What?" They kept silent for a few seconds and then Milo joined them.  
  
"Thank you for coming." He said.  
  
"Well, it was definitely a interesting evening." Lu commented and opened the door. "Talk to you later."  
  
"Ok. Bye." Andy said and they all headed out the door. Then, Andy and Milo headed back into the dinning room.  
  
"I can't believe you threw mashed potatoes in my face." He said while they walked into the kitchen and out of sight of everybody else.  
  
"You started it by smearing butter on me." She responded and he surprisingly but gently pushed her against the fridge.  
  
"I do have to say that you look rather sexy in butter. What brand is this?" He asked sarcastically.  
  
"Come find out." She said, flirting with him while wrapping her arms around his neck. Milo kissed her passionately but quietly so no one in the dinning room could hear them. They went on like this until she made him stop. "Lets not get carried away here Milo."  
  
"Why not?" He asked, nibbling on her ear.  
  
"Because, we have to save this for the bungalow in Bora Bora." She said and pushed him away. "Plus the fact that my children, parents, and your parents are in the next room." She added. Milo nodded and held up his hands innocently.  
  
***  
  
Peter and Lu dropped off Lana at her apartment and headed back to Lu's.  
  
"Where's Marc tonight?"  
  
"Friends house." Lu said. "Look at us." They laughed at their appearances. "We are covered in food. We should get a shower." Peter nodded in agreement and looked at her. Lu met his gaze and stared. "I....I meant.....separate showers." She said slowly and walked further into her apartment.  
  
"Right." He said and followed her. They fell silent for awhile.  
  
"Peter." Lu said finally but Peter interrupted the start of her sentence by connecting his lips to hers.  
  
"I've wanted to do that for months now." He said after they broke. They fell silent again.  
  
"This is hard to do. Umm.....if there is going to be an us again then I want....well I need to take it slowly."  
  
He nodded. "I was hoping there would be another us. The past months have been so empty."  
  
Lu nodded this time. "Ok, well. I'm going to grab a shower and then you can use it and I guess I'll see you in the morning." He said and seconds later, left him standing there.  
  
***  
  
Nick walked into his apartment to find darkness. He kept quiet, thinking that Dana and her daughters were asleep by then. He laid his keys down on the table and walked into the living room. Dana smiled up at him as he did. What he saw was a priceless picture. Dana's oldest daughter was asleep at her feet and she was holding her other daughter who was also asleep. Nick smiled and she slowly got up and laid her youngest daughter down to sleep on the side of the couch they were already on.  
  
"They're so precious." He whispered.  
  
"I know. I hate to wake them so they can sleep in the beds they were supposed to sleep it. That's my bed." She whispered back while pointing to the couch.  
  
"Don't." He responded and she looked at him. "You can sleep in my bed." He offered.  
  
"Nick." She said slowly.  
  
"I promise, just sleeping. I'm not going to try anything Dana."  
  
"Ok." She agreed after hesitation and they headed towards the bedroom. Before entering, she gently pecked his lips. "I missed you." She said and then continued into the bedroom. A smile formed on his face as he followed her.  
  
***  
  
Andy tossed over in her bed, half asleep. It was almost time for her to wake up but she didn't want to emerge from her dreams. Her parents were already awake and downstairs, quickly stirring up some breakfast. Jessie was still asleep and Lizzy was taking a shower. Andy Sr. decided to go upstairs and wake up his daughter. He gently opened the door and saw her lying on the bed, curled up in the covers. He thought back on how he did this when she was a little girl but then he had stopped for some reason. He sat down next to her on the bed and smoothed her hair with his hand, tucking pieces behind her ear. Andy stirred and slowly opened her eyes to see whoever was there. She realized it was him.  
  
"Daddy?" She asked sleepily.  
  
"It's time to get up." He responded, still smoothing her hair.  
  
"It it?" Andy asked while glancing at the clock next to the bed. Then she looked back at her father, yawned and smiled. "You've never woken me up before." She realized.  
  
"I did a long time ago when you were little. Unfortunately you were too little to remember."  
  
"You did?" She asked and he nodded. After a long pause, he spoke up. "Come on. Get up." Andy closed her eyes again and yawned.  
  
"I'm getting married today." She said slowly while sitting up. "I'm scared Dad."  
  
"I know you are. And so is Milo. But everything will work out ok Andy, no matter what happens. I promise." He said reassuringly. "I remember my wedding."  
  
"You do?" She asked with a smile.  
  
He nodded. "I was so nervous."  
  
"You? No, not possible." She said surprised.  
  
"Yes, me. For some reason, I can shoot down the enemies and order troops with no fear, but something about watching you're mother walk down that aisle had me shaking in my army boots." He said. Andy chuckled. "She was so gorgeous and I was thinking, 'What is she doing with me'. I was getting ready to make the biggest commitment of my life and I couldn't help but be nervous about it."  
  
Andy smiled at him and how he was being insightful. "I really love this new relationship you and I have now Dad."  
  
"I do to." He said and smiled. "Now come on! Breakfast is about ready."  
  
***  
  
Once they all ate breakfast, Andy, Jessie, and Lizzy met Lu and Lana at the near by beauty salon for hair styling, nails, and make up. Three hours later, they emerged and all headed to the hotel to start getting dressed for the ceremony. Andy's parents were already there, dressed formally, and ready to help out anyway they could. While her father was asked to just wait patiently in the lounge room they had rented, her mother helped her with her bridal gown. Milo's parents arrived with his brother, Jared and his family. They were all dressed formally and while his parents talked to Andy Sr., Jared helped Milo out with his tux and adjusted his. Peter and Bob Jackson were also with Milo, since they were his groomsmen. Twenty minutes later, Michael, the best man, arrived with his girlfriend.  
  
"I made it!" He said while walking into the room that Milo was in.  
  
"Thank god." He said and greeted his brother with a hug. "Was the driving bad?"  
  
"Hell yes. But anything for my big brother." He said with a smile.  
  
"Well, you're just in time and I see you got dressed at the house. We should start heading out into the hallway near the lounge." Milo said. Peter and Dr. Jackson went first, so it was only Jared, Michael, and Milo in the room. "What about the surprise?" Milo asked quickly.  
  
"In a completely different hotel. I promise, it will be at the reception in time for the first dance."  
  
"Thank you." Milo said and they all headed out. People started arriving frequently now. All family members were there and friends were taking their seats. Bob Jackson's family sat in the second row, while Dana, Nick, and her daughters sat behind them. Friends filled in the rows as Andy made sure that she looked perfect. Lu, Lana, Jessie, and Lizzy all waited for her in the hallway opposite Milo. When the ceremony was about to begin, Andy's mother quickly took her seat in the front row, as Milo and his groomsmen filed in on the right side of the semi-alter. They had a semi-alter specifically made for their taste, to be placed in the lounge. Music started playing, as Lizzy, then Jessie, then Lana, and then Lu, lined up in front of Andy. All four of them were wearing a midnight blue, straight cut gown, with a lighter blue color ribbon attached right under the chest area. Each woman held a small bouquet of fresh white roses that were tied together with the same color light blue ribbon as on the dress and their hair was perfectly curled and pulled into a half-pony tail type thing. They walked out slowly, with smiles on their faces. When they reached the point across from the groomsmen they stopped and much more beautiful music started playing on the piano. Andy started slowly walking out on her father's arm. Her dress was straight cut, like the bridesmaids, and it was the lighter blue color instead of midnight blue. The sides, bottom, and other key points on the dress were trimmed with a white silk. Her hair was curled also and pulled completely into a twist tie type thing with strands gently brushing the sides of her cheeks. Make up painted her face a beautiful picture and she was holding a bigger bouquet of white roses that was tied with a white ribbon. She didn't wear a Vail, but the clip that held her hair in place was also white and surrounded with silk. Andy Sr. led his daughter slowly down the aisle with pride in his stride and a complete smile on his face. Andy breath got more rapid as she approached Milo and her hands were slightly shaking. They stopped and her father kissed her cheek and mouthed the words 'I love you' before leaving her standing there and taking his seat next to her mother. Milo moved across from her and smiled. She smiled back and suddenly her breath got slower and normal, and her hands stopped shaking. They stared into each other's eyes, until they heard the minister speak next to them.  
  
"Both the bride and groom have prepared special speeches for this moment." He said and nodded to Andy for her to start.  
  
"I'm truly inspired, finding my soul in your arms and you have opened my heart by showing me yourself undisguised. Remember, I won't ever be too far way and I won't hesitate at all. I will breathe for you each day, and comfort you through all the pain, gently kiss your fears away. You can turn to me and cry, and always understand that I give you all I have inside. So I'm here to tell you this afternoon, that the rest of my days and nights belong to you. Please believe that there is nothing I'd rather do, because my heart is yours. Milo Morton, now and forever, for the rest of my life, I love you." She said and smiled.  
  
He smiled back and then started talking slowly. "Andy, if ever you happen to fall down, I'll be the one that lifts you up. When you forget how beautiful you are, I'll be there to remind you. When you can't find your way in the dark, I'll be the light that shines for you. When trouble comes your way, I will come to you. I'll be your shoulder, when you need someone to lean on. Be your shelter when you need someone to protect you. I'll be the rock that will be strong for you, the one that will hold on to you. And when you're there with no one to hold, it'll be my arms that reach for you. And when all you find are lies, I'll be the truth that you need. When you need someone to run to, you can run to me. I'll always be there for you because, I love you." They kept staring into each other's eyes, and Andy tried to hold back her tears.  
  
"The rings." The minister said and Michael handed the minister the rings from his pocket. Then the minister handed one ring to Milo. "Milo Morton, do you take this women as your wife?" He said simply.  
  
"I do." Milo answered and slid the ring onto Andy's finger.  
  
The minister handed Andy a ring now. "Andy Campbell, do you take this man as your husband?"  
  
"I do." She answered and slid the ring onto Milo's finger.  
  
"I know pronounce you, husband and wife." He turned to Milo. "You may kiss your bride." He said with a smile. Milo leaned into Andy and softly kissed her lips. It was an intimate kiss but not too intimate considering the people around them. After they broke, people stood up and clapped. They turned and headed back down the aisle as beautiful music started playing again. Once Andy and Milo were half way down the aisle, Lu took Michael's arm and followed. Then Lana took Jared's, Jessie took Peter's, and Lizzy took Bob Jackson's and followed in order.  
  
***  
  
Andy and Milo got into the limo they had rented and the driver, who could not be seen from the back seats, started driving to Milo's parent's house were the reception would be held. After they left, everybody piled into their cars and followed them. Milo turned to Andy and started kissing her passionately. She kissed him back, taking great pleasure in the fact that she was now married to him and she could do this anytime she pleased. The limo ended up being the first one to arrive at the house, so Andy and Milo made sure that everything was set up right and it was. It was all perfect and it made them kiss once more right before their parents opened the front door, followed by many guests. People greeted them with hugs, saying congratulations and wishing them the best. Jessie and Lizzy approached their mother and both hugged her at the same time. She hugged them back for a long moment and then let go.  
  
"You two look beautiful." She noted, looking at their dresses. "I love you both so much." She said and pulled them in for another hug. After this one she back away from them. "Now, go say hi to some friends and just have fun." She said and turned to some other people. After a while of talking, people started getting their food and sitting down at the tables in the tent outside. It was now around five P.M. so everybody was hungry. Andy and Milo managed to have a few glances toward each other while talking to other people. For awhile they hadn't been able to say a word to each other because of everybody getting in between them. The entire time of the beginning of the reception, soft music had been playing in the background, and once everybody looked like they were done eating, the DJ spoke up.  
  
"Ok everybody. It's time for the traditional bride and groom first dance. Will the lovely couple please approach the dance floor." He said. Andy and Milo came onto the wooden dance floor from opposite sides and met in the middle. Right as Andy was about to hold on to him to dance, he left her standing there and went to the DJ. A very short conversation took place that nobody could hear and Milo took the microphone.  
  
"Hi." He said and people chuckled. Andy looked at him with curiosity. "Before we dance to the first song, I have a little surprise for my lovely, and beautiful bride." He said and then grinned. "Would everybody please put their hand together for........" He said and pointed towards the entrance of the tent. "Sting." As he said this, the actual singer, Sting, walked into the tent. Andy's jaw dropped completely to the floor and a lot of other people whispered around in shock.  
  
"Oh my god." She said and Milo handed the microphone to the legendary singer.  
  
"Dr. Milo Morton has asked me to sing the first dance song for Andy. I'd like to thank you for welcoming me here and thank you to Michael Morton, for picking me up in New York City and roughly driving down here through the snow for this special occasion." Sting said. The music for Fields Of Gold started playing and Andy looked at Milo in amazement.  
  
"I can't believe you." She said and wrapped her arms around him but couldn't help but stare at the singer.  
  
"You'll remember me when the west wind moves/ Upon the fields of barley/ You'll forget the sun in his jealous sky/ As we walk the fields of gold." Sting started singing.  
  
Andy turned her gaze to Milo's eyes.  
  
"So she took her love/ For to gaze awhile/ Upon the fields of barley/ In his arms she fell as her hair came down/ Among the fields of gold. Will you stay with me, will you be my love/ Among the fields of barley/ We'll forget the sun in his jealous sky/ As we lie in the fields of gold."  
  
They kept staring at each other, like nobody else was in the room, and the music was just softly playing in the background.  
  
"See the west wind move like a lover so/ Upon the fields of barley/ Feel her body rise when you kiss her mouth/ Among the fields of gold/ I never made promises lightly/ And there have been some that I've broken/ But I swear in the days still left/ We'll walk in the fields of gold/ We'll walk in the fields of gold. Many years have passed since those summer days/ Among the fields of barley/ See the children run as the sun goes down/ Among the fields of gold/ You'll remember me when the west wind moves/ Upon the fields of barley/ You can tell the sun in his jealous sky/ When we walked in the fields of gold."  
  
Andy leaned up and in closer to Milo's face. "I love you so much." She whispered loud enough for him to hear.  
  
"When we walked in fields of gold." Sting kept singing.  
  
"I love you to sweetheart." He said. Milo touched his lips against hers and didn't let them part.  
  
"When we walked in fields of gold." Sting ended the song and everybody applauded for him and the couple still kissing on the dance floor.  
  
After they broke she whispered again. "I can't believe you did that for me."  
  
"I'd do anything for you Andy." He said and she gave him another kiss. People started standing up and joining them on the dance floor as Sting started to sing more of his songs.  
  
***  
  
Awhile later, after the famous celebrity left and everybody had settled back down, Jessie and Marc stood on the front porch talking.  
  
"I can't believe he did that for your Mom." Marc said.  
  
"I can. He's really a great guy and I'm glad he's my new stepfather." She said and then noticed somebody standing near the drive way. "Who's that?" She pointed out. The mysterious stranger started walking towards them and eventually came into the light. It was Les. "Oh my god."  
  
"Who is it?" Marc asked. He couldn't really tell the features of the man.  
  
"That's my Dad." She said and then started down the steps to meet him. "Dad?" She asked surprised.  
  
"Oh wow. You look to so beautiful Jessie."  
  
"Thank you. What are you doing here?" She asked.  
  
"I just came to say goodbye."  
  
"Now? Where are you going?" She asked curiously.  
  
"Atlanta, Georgia." He said with a semi-country accent, trying to make her laugh. It didn't work. "Got a new job offer. Have to take it."  
  
"So, you're leaving again. Just like that?" She asked.  
  
He nodded. "I'll still visit."  
  
"Are you leaving tonight?" She asked.  
  
"Yep. I have to start tomorrow. I just found out this morning and I wanted to say goodbye before I left." He turned to Marc. "Young man. Will you do me a favor and go get Lizzy for me? Don't tell anybody else I'm here." He asked. Marc nodded and headed into the house. "Jessie. I'll miss you, you know that." She nodded. Seconds later, Lizzy came running outside and Les repeated his story and said goodbye to his youngest daughter. "Make sure Morton takes care of you ok." He said slowly. It wasn't an easy thing for him to do. "You call me if anything happens. And if you ever need me I'm only a flight away ok?" The girls nodded as Marc stood in the background and made sure nobody else came around front. "I love you." He said. "I have to get going." He turned to leave them but then stopped. "Oh. You probably shouldn't tell your mother I was here. There's no need to ruin her special night or her honeymoon. So, if you would please, tell her I'm gone when she gets home from Bora Bora." He said and jumped into his car, and drove away, leaving his daughters behind in two beautiful dresses.  
  
***  
  
Andy approached the DJ and had a short conversation on what song to play next. Soon after that, the DJ came on the microphone. "The bride has now requested to have her father-daughter dance." He said. Andy Sr. looked up from where he was sitting and Andy was waiting for him on the dance floor. After a few seconds, he stood up and approached her. Before they started dancing, Andy took the microphone.  
  
"I requested this specific song because of the symbolical meaning. I'm sure all of you are familiar with the movie Armageddon. Well, to sum everything up. The singer was the lead actress's father, and they weren't very close until this movie came out and he sang this song. My sources tell me that it was very emotional for the both of them and that a father and daughter got to reunite through it, which is why I chose it. Symbolically, this song fits perfect for my relationship with my own father." She said and then handed the microphone back to the DJ. The song, 'I Don't Want To Miss A Thing' by Aerosmith came on the speakers and Andy and her father started dancing.  
  
"I could stay awake just to hear you breathing/ Watch you smile while you are sleeping/ While you're far away dreaming/ I could spend m life in this sweet surrender/ I could stay lost in this moment forever/ Every moment I spend with you is a moment I treasure. Don't want to close my eyes/ I don't want to fall asleep/ Cause I'd miss you baby/ And I don't want to miss a thing/ Cause even when I dream of you/ The sweetest dream will never do/ I'd still miss you baby/ And I don't want to miss a thing. Lying close to you feeling your heart beating/ And I'm wondering what you're dreaming/ Wondering if it's me you're seeing/ Then I kiss your eyes/ And thank God we're together/ I just want to stay with you in this moment forever/ Forever and ever."  
  
Andy looked up at her Dad and smiled. He smiled back.  
  
"Don't want to close my eyes/ I don't want to fall asleep/ Cause I'd miss you baby/ And I don't want to miss a thing/ Cause even when I dream of you/ The sweetest dream will never do/ I'd still miss you baby/ And I don't want to miss a thing. I don't want to miss one smile/ I don't want to miss one kiss/ I just want to be with you/ Right here with you, just like this/ I just want to hold you close/ Fell your heart so close to mine/ And just stay here in this moment/ For all the rest of time."  
  
People started joining them on the dance floor. Milo grabbed his mother and started dancing, while Lu grabbed Marc.  
  
"Don't want to close my eyes/ I don't' want to fall asleep/ Cause I'd miss you baby/ And I don't want to miss a thing/ Cause even when I dream of you/ the sweetest dream will never do/ I'd still miss you baby/ And I don't want to miss a thing."  
  
Andy kept smiling up at her father as they danced. He leaned over and whispered in her ear. "I love you. You're daddy's little girl." A tear slowly rolled down her cheek as they formed into a hug while still dancing.  
  
"Don't want to close my eyes/ I don't want to fall asleep/ I don't want to miss a thing." The song ended and Andy Sr. kissed the top of his daughter forehead.  
  
***  
  
The reception was coming to an end. Friends were heading back to their homes or hotel rooms for those of them who came from out of town. Andy and Milo's flight was in the morning and they had planned on staying at the hotel that the ceremony was at that night. After awhile, it was just family left at his parent's house. Jessie and Lizzy were half asleep on the couches, while the four parent's stood around in the kitchen talking. Jared and his family were sitting around the dinning area of the tent, along with Michael and his girlfriend, watching Andy and Milo dance to one last song. It was "If You Say My Eyes Are Beautiful" by Whitney Houston and Jermaine Jackson.  
  
"If you say my eyes are beautiful/ It's because they're looking at you/ And if you could only see yourself/ You'd feel the same way too/ You could say that I am a dreamer/ Who'd had a dream come true/ If you say my eyes are beautiful/ It's because they're looking at you." The song sang.  
  
Andy smiled at her new husband and took in his scent. "This evening as been so wonderful." She noted.  
  
"Yeah. It has."  
  
"If you wonder why I'm smiling/ It's because I'm happy with you/ And the warm sensations touch my heart/ And fill me through and through/ I could hold you close forever/ And never let you go/ If you say my eyes are beautiful/ It's because I just love you so." The speakers rang.  
  
"I can't wait for tomorrow and the next four days." He said.  
  
"Me either." She said, agreeing with him about the honeymoon. "Tonight will be great to." He nodded.  
  
"Mow, my heart is an open door/ Won't you come inside for more/ You find love so sweetly now/ Take my love take me completely now/ If you say my eyes are beautiful/ It's because they're looking at you/ And my eyes are just the window/ For my feelings to come through/ And by far you are more beautiful/ Than anything I ever knew/ If you say my eyes are beautiful/ If you say my eyes are beautiful/ If you say my eyes, my eyes are beautiful." The song started to end slowly.  
  
"Did I mention that I love you so much Milo?" She asked.  
  
"It's because, it's because, they're looking at you." The voices rang on the speakers and Andy and Milo's lips connected.  
  
"I love you so much to Andy Campbell Morton." He said her new full name. She had decided that around the hospital she would be called Dr. Andy Campbell and around friends and family, she would be called Andy Morton.  
  
The night grew heavy and ended late. Andy's parents took Jessie and Lizzy back to Andy's house and said their good byes and I love you's for the next four days. Milo's parents were thanked greatly for allowing the reception to be held in their home before Andy and Milo headed in the rented limo back to the hotel for their wedding night. And in the morning, they would wake up and head to the Bora Bora Islands for a honeymoon neither would ever forget.  
  
*****  
  
Me: And they lived happily ever after!!!! *Tear.*  
  
Megan: That was great Special.  
  
Me: I know. And long!! Took me 36 pages on word including the pre and after chaps. *Looks around to see every man in the building fast asleep and every women with a box of tissues.* Now come on. It's not that much of a sappy chick flick.....or chick story. *Nobody moves.* Ahh, forget you!! Cameras follow me.........*Leads camera crew outside the stage by self.* I just wanted to pull off to the side to say a few words. Thank you for every single person who ever reviewed this story. It has been sooooooo much fun writing and sooooo much fun having you guys like it. I started this thing in September, 2003 and now it's finally finished in May, 2004. Wow.....that is a lot of hard work and dedication that went into this story and I couldn't have done it without all my fans. Special thanks to Crazy for just being there, and to Megan for loving these stories and being so nuts for Strong Medicine just like I am. To Magges for helping me out and to Le Ellette for suggesting ideas and just throwing out ideas when I had mind blocks. And finally to every other person who was there for me and read my story. I will miss doing this story but don't worry, there will be more Strong Medicine fics from me and some others on other fandoms. Once again, thank you so much! *Leaves......comes back.* Oh, and...I apologize now for any typos throughout the story. Staring at the computer for this long often messes up me up in typing. Bye!!! 


End file.
